To: Philip Chang, CEO

From: Cindy Chavez, Team Member

Date: March 5, 2018
Subject: Racial Discrimination of Employees

On Friday afternoon during my shift, I noticed that resumes and applications for new employees
were separated into two piles. The first pile were potential employees, and the second pile was
the rejection pile. Upon reviewing these resumes and applications, I noticed an ethic violation
that I do not think is right. Through this memo, I would like to bring awareness to the possible
racial discrimination that is occurring.

I noticed that most of the applicants in the first pile were white and did not meet all the
requirements to work at Yogurtland. I also noticed that the second pile consisted of people of
color who met most of the requirements for employment. There seems to be some racial
discrimination occurring, as I have noticed that most of the current employees are white. I have
spoken to my coworkers and my employer about it; however, no one else seems to notice or care.

In order to prevent racial discrimination in the workforce, I suggest writing an anti-

discrimination policy that states consequences of racism and emphasizing the importance of
hiring employees based on merit, not race.

Currently, the company does not have a policy on racial discrimination in the workplace.
Employers feel like they have the right to hire whoever they want, even if the person that they
are hiring does not meet the requirements. Having an anti-discrimination policy will encourage
employers to hire more people of color and hire based on merit. A meeting can be held with the
owners of the stores in order to emphasize the importance of the policy being implemented.

Implementing this policy will help Yogurtland be more ethical. It will help the company have a
better image. More people would want to apply to work here and it would be more racially
diverse. It can become a place where people would want to work and a place where their
employees are proud to work. However, it is important to look at examples of other policies that
companies have implemented in order to do it right the first time. Employees need to know the
importance of this policy as well.

In Lyndsay Wasser’s newspaper article, “The Importance Of An Anti-Discrimination Policy,”

regarding the importance of an anti-discrimination policy, she emphasizes that, “Employees who
understand human rights laws are less likely to engage in conduct that could be perceived as
discriminatory.” When employees understand anti-discrimination policies, it is less likely for
them to engage in racist acts. Employees who understand discriminatory acts and how to prevent
them will give the company a good reputation. Like I’ve mentioned before in this memo, no one
will want to work for a company that is known for discriminatory acts.
Not having an anti-discrimination policy not only affects the business’ reputation, but its legality
as well. It is against federal and state law to discriminate in the work place. According to the
Anti-Discrimination Board of NWS’s article, “Anti-Discrimination Laws and Employers,”
regarding the consequences of not having an anti-discrimination policy, the costs of not
following anti-discrimination law or providing equal opportunity include, ‘reduced productivity,’
‘the cost of sorting out a discrimination or harassment grievance within an organization,’ and
‘the legal costs of running a tribunal or court case.’ In short, it will cost the company more
money in the long run if these anti-discrimination policies are not implemented because of the
possible lawsuits

We can take a look at other companies who have gotten sued because of racial discrimination.
According to Nadra Kareem Nittle’s article, “5 Big Companies Sued for Racial Discrimination,”
regarding people who have filed law suits against big companies due to racial discrimination,
“Approximately 4,500 black truck drivers who applied to work for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. between
2001 and 2008 filed a class action suit against the corporation for racial discrimination. They
said Wal-Mart turned them away in disproportionate numbers.” African American drivers filed
law suit against Walmart because of racial discrimination. “The company denied any
wrongdoing but agreed to settle for $17.5 million” (Nittle). Even though the company claimed
they didn’t do anything wrong, they still lost a lot of money. In the end, the lawsuit cost them
more than necessary and they ended up losing $17.5 million dollars.

Another company who has been sued for racial discrimination is Southern California Edison.
“The workers accused the company of consistently denying them promotions, not paying them
fairly, biased job assignments…” (Nittle). Sothern California denied African American
employees opportunities and paid them unfairly. The company treated the African American
employees unethically. “The 1994 suit included a settlement for more than $11 million and a
mandate for diversity training” (Nittle). The company ultimately lost more money in the lawsuit
and in the diversity training.

Someone can potentially file a lawsuit against Yogurtland because they simply don’t have an
Anti-Discrimination policy. This is something that can affect the reputation of the company and
making them end up losing money because of the lawsuits that can potentially be filed against
them. That is why it is important to implement and anti-discrimination policy and have
employees and employers follow that policy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my memo. If you have any questions or concerns please
contact me to discuss this further.

Best,

Cindy Chavez
Yogurtland Team Member
Tel: (818) 271-6008
Email: cindy.chavez.299@my.csun.edu.
 Works Cited

“Anti-Discrimination Law and Employment.” Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW, Anti-

Discrimination Board of NSW, 22 Sept. 2016,

www.antidiscrimination.justice.nsw.gov.au/employers-and-managers/anti-discrimination-

law-and-employers.

Nittle, Nadra K. “5 Big Companies Sued for Racial Discrimination.” ThoughtCo., ThoughtCo., 8

July 2017, www.thoughtco.com/big-companies-sued-for-racial-discrimination-2834873.

Wasser, Lyndsay. "The Importance Of An Anti-Discrimination Policy." Mondaq Business

Briefing, 13 Oct. 2008. General

OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A186967291/ITOF?u=csunorthridge&sid=I

TOF&xid=7e87faaa.