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Three Black former employees have filed a lawsuit against a homebuilding company after a white executive brought a noose to a meeting.
According to Essence, ex-employees Idus Hartsfield, Richard Turnbow, and Roderick Hunter are suing the PulteGroup, one of the largest homebuilding companies in the nation, for violating their civil rights in several incidents.
In the suit, Hartsfield said a white executive "openly waved" a noose around during a 2019 staff meeting in which he warned employees "not to hang themselves."
“We have photographic evidence that’s never been made public. [President and CEO] Ryan Marshall’s managers actually used a noose at a meeting with Black employees in an effort to create an unworkable environment," Mark Zausmer, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said. "When they complained, they were written up and subsequently fired."
“Ryan Marshall, Todd Sheldon, Brandon Jones, Michelle Hairston, and Patrick Witzigman all have some serious answering to do. I expect other whistleblowers and employees who have been discriminated against to step forward,” Zausmer added, referring to current and former company executives.
According to the suit, PulteGroup and CEO Ryan Marshall created a “Diversity Board" that was merely a "sham."
"Managers engaged in ‘unlawful retaliation in the form of termination’ when Black employees reported misconduct on the part of Patrick Witzigman who is alleged to have acted as a lieutenant in the scheme and had racist interactions with all three Black plaintiffs," the suit states.
The suit also alleges that “Witzigman’s conduct was given a pass or endorsement because he was a loyalist to COO, Brandon Jones, who himself was recently terminated after the PulteGroup Board found wrongdoing and actions that violated their Code of Ethical Business Conduct.”
In addition, the three former employees are accusing the company of a larger scheme where “the CEO had his executives and managers filter out Black employees who complained about racist practices, as well as fast-track friends of executives to promotions.”
In a statement to CNN, PulteGroup called the allegations "reprehensible."
"PulteGroup strives to maintain, promote and advance a work culture where all people are valued, respected and heard. Diversity is embraced and integrated throughout our organization and the communities in which we do business. This is critical to our mission and vision," the company said.
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