What? NASCAR's Not a Great Environment For Women Employees?

Here's the headline - "Former NASCAR Employee Files $225M Discrimination Suit". 

It's one of the uglier ones that I've ever read; I suppose that's where the lotto-like $225M number comes from. Read the listing of the allegations here - be prepared, it's ugly.  I first heard of the lawsuit reading Mike Haberman over at HR Observations, then was treated to a long article in the evening paper when I got home.

Hard to be surprised.   Male-dominated culture, macho industry with the goal of making cars go as fast as possible.  Doesn't sound like inclusion and sensitivity are top of mind for the gang at the track.

I've been in businesses where the majority of positions are blue collar males.  It's never pretty when a woman joins the ranks, but I've never seen or heard of anything approaching this one. 

One last thing - the claimant in this case was NASCAR's first minority female hire, part of a program called "Drive for Diversity".  She was fired in late 2007.

Magic Johnson personally brought her into NASCAR as part of the program....

I guess I'll end this by noting they are allegations at this point, and that NASCAR is denying she ever reported any of it through the proper channels.  Still, if the allegations are true, NASCAR's not only in a world of hurt, they've got a lot to fix moving forward. 

Not to mention, the brochures for the "Drive for Diversity" program probably need to be trashed - either way.  Nothing kills a company-wide program quicker than a $225M lawsuit...

Comments

[Michael Haberman, SPHR]

Kris:
good point that these are just allegations.. but some how I think these will be found to be truthful. One thing that is not clear is the role EEOC is taking in this. I suspect there will probably be a settlement in this case that will try to keep this from a trial and major publicity. Regardless it sounds like NASCAR needs to do a bit of work in HR.

[KD]

Mike -

Culturally speaking, NASCAR has all the markers to say that "where there's smoke, there's fire". 225M? I've never seen a number like that. Shocking....