Black employees file federal discrimination suit against Chicago utility

CHICAGO (AP) — A group of current and former employees at a Chicago utility have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the company discriminated against them because they’re Black.

The 11 plaintiffs filed the action Tuesday against Peoples Gas, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

They allege that Black workers were sexualized by non-Black workers, faced racial slurs and were forced to work in high-crime neighborhoods without security.

One plaintiff told the Sun-Times that she saw a shooting while she was working and was so shaken up that she drove in reverse. Another said he and his co-workers were robbed after being assigned to work overnight in an area where a car crash had disrupted service.

The utility issued a statement Wednesday denying the allegations and insisting it provides equal opportunities for workers.