Where State Farm Sees ‘a Lot of Fraud,’ Black Customers See Discrimination

She and practically a dozen different Black and Muslim workers working close by additionally obtained copies of an nameless letter despatched by the U.S. Postal Service, calling African American individuals “uneducated” and referring to Muslim individuals as “backside of the barrel.” When Ms. Campbell-Jackson and the opposite workers reported their suspicions that the letters had come from inside State Farm, managers dismissed their issues, in line with her lawsuit.

In Might 2016, State Farm fired Ms. Campbell-Jackson, saying she had shared delicate data outdoors the group. Ms. Campbell-Jackson stated she had merely despatched an e mail containing buyer claims data to State Farm executives at their request. She was provided $175,000 in severance cash on the situation that she agree by no means to discuss her experiences at State Farm, courtroom filings present.

Ms. Campbell-Jackson didn’t take the provide. Later that month, she filed a grievance with the E.E.O.C., saying State Farm was violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating towards her primarily based on her race.

Typically the place an worker experiences racial discrimination, the E.E.O.C. offers that individual a “proper to sue” letter, basically saying it will be affordable for the worker to pursue a declare in courtroom. However final yr, the E.E.O.C. sided with Ms. Campbell-Jackson, saying that State Farm had discriminated towards her and 10 of her co-workers, and advisable that the insurer pay her round $500,000 in damages and again pay. The 2 sides haven’t come to an settlement.

In a letter to State Farm, an E.E.O.C. official wrote that it appeared that Ms. Campbell-Jackson “was harassed as a result of her race and discharged in retaliation for complaining about harassment.”

In December, she sued State Farm in federal courtroom in Michigan, claiming that she had been subjected to discrimination, a hostile work atmosphere and retaliation. Benjamin Crump, a civil rights lawyer who has represented the households of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, two Black Individuals killed by police, is a part of her authorized crew.

The identical week that Ms. Campbell-Jackson introduced her lawsuit, two State Farm executives mentioned her case in a video the corporate despatched to workers.