Court Finds Black Workers’ ‘N-Word’ Use Did Not Make Kitchen Hostile Workplace

Frequent and heavy use of the word “nigga” by black members of the kitchen staff at an Arkansas horse racing venue did not create a hostile work environment for another African American staff member who complained several times about her co-workers’ offensive language, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas ruled Nov. 2 (Tyrrell v. Oaklawn Jockey Club, W.D. Ark., 6:10-cv-06102-SOH, 11/2/12).

“Considering all the circumstances, the Court finds that Plaintiff’s hostile-work-environment claim seeks more to impose ‘general civility’ on the workplace than to curb heinous harassment,” Judge Susan O. Hickey wrote, granting summary ...