Bell Textron Must Face Black Worker’s Suit Over Monkey Sounds

Bell Textron Inc. must defend against a Black employee’s race bias and retaliation claims that he was being harassed by a White coworker because the aerospace company was on notice of the incidents, a federal court said.

James McWilson, who is Black, sufficiently alleged that he suffered disparate treatment when White coworker Blake Murphy made monkey sounds and pounded his chest when McWilson walked by as part of an ongoing harassment campaign, the incident was reported to human resources, no action was taken, and McWilson was laid off a short time later, Judge Mark L. Pittman said Tuesday for the ...