Associated Press Published

Company to Pay Ex-Employee After Discrimination Lawsuit

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A mining company with operations in West Virginia has agreed to pay $62,500 to a former employee who was terminated.

The Register-Herald reports former employee Michael Jagodzinski had filed a lawsuit against Rhino Energy WV, accusing the company of failing to take action to stop harassment against his Polish ancestry.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a news release Wednesday that Jagodzinski was subjected to ethnic slurs and had offensive graffiti written about him in the workplace.

According to the lawsuit, the company unlawfully fired Jagodzinski in retaliation for his complaints.

Rhino Energy WV also entered into a five-year consent decree last week, stating it must implement a policy prohibiting harassment, discrimination and retaliation.

The company did not immediately comment to the newspaper.