The former Melrose Hotel New York and Berwind Property Group, Ltd. have agreed to pay $800,000 to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit alleging the companies discriminated against Hispanic employees by instituting a rule the required employees to speak English at all times, even during breaks.
The EEOC's lawsuit alleged that the companies subjected Hispanic employees to a hostile work environment, subjected Hispanic employees to an English-only rule requiring them to speak only English at all times, and retaliated against employees for complaining of discrimination.
The Melrose Hotel New York was a luxury hotel located on Manhattan's Upper East Side until it closed in July 2005. Berwind is a real estate management company located in Philadelphia.
The settlement calls for the companies tol pay $800,000 in damages to 13 former employees of the hotel.
In tsettling the lawsuit, the companies denied any wrongdoing.
The settlement also prohibits the companies from maintaining an English-only rule for employees and requires them to amend and reissue their non-discrimination policy, train employees and managers in equal employment law, and provide periodic reports to the EEOC concerning any new discrimination complaints.
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