Business

Bias Complaints at Daimler Portland Plant Settled for $2.4M

Published

11 years ago

January 30, 2015

STEVEN DUBOIS, Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Daimler Trucks North America agreed to pay $2.4 million to settle discrimination complaints filed by six minority workers who said they were subjected to threats and racial slurs at the company’s Portland plant.

Brad Avakian, commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, announced the deal on Thursday. His office said the monetary settlement is easily the largest in the history of the agency’s Civil Rights Division. The investigation began last year and included interviews with 60 current and former employees.

“We know that some of the incidents that were occurring stretched back over a decade, but the significant thing as well is that it was continuing right up until recent months,” he said.

The complaints against the subsidiary of German automotive giant Daimler AG included an allegation that an employee threatened a black worker with a noose and said he’d drag the man behind a truck. Among other complaints, employees said they were called names such as “boy,” ”buckwheat” and the N-word, and the company allowed intimidating graffiti, including a swastika, to remain in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, a Native American worker said he faced harassment and his supervisor pushed him against a truck while challenging him to a fight. A black employee who is gay said he was repeatedly harassed because of his race and sexual orientation.

“We’d like to think discrimination and harassment just doesn’t occur anymore, but the truth is that it does,” Avakian said.

Brian Burton, the general counsel for Daimler Trucks North America, said the company cooperated with the investigation and is “committed to diversity and inclusion.” Five other employees declined to participate in the settlement and plan to take their cases to court. Burton said it is company policy not to comment on pending litigation.

The $2.4 million settlement will be split by the six workers, and includes attorney fees and a fund for any future complaints. The employees all agreed to leave the company and never reapply.

Mark Morrell, an attorney for three workers who settled, said his clients were not ready to comment. Morrell also represents four of the five employees who withdrew their Bureau of Labor and Industries complaints in order to file civil lawsuits in county court.

“The people who didn’t settle had other issues that we didn’t get resolved,” he said. “I just don’t think the company knows enough about some of the claims.”

Daimler Trucks North America employs more than 20,000 employees in North America.

Morrell said he believes the company is trying to improve the workplace. “It’s been going on for decades, long before Daimler bought it. They just walked into it,” he said, referring to Daimler AG’s 1980s purchase of Freightliner Trucks.

Besides the monetary settlement, Daimler Trucks agreed to the following measures:

— Install a civil rights complaint hotline for workers.

— Require supervisor training.

— Train at least two managers to conduct internal investigations.

— Maintain a supervisor logbook for any future incidents.

_____

Follow Steven DuBois on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pdxdub

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

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2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

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As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC