Friedman's Named In Law Suit

Four former employees of Friedman's Jewelers filed a federal lawsuit on March 6, claiming the US's third-largest jewelry chain used racist policies to deny black people employment and promotions.

The plaintiffs claim that they were pressured by company policy and a senior manager to hire only a certain number of black people and to transfer black employees " like chocolate chips in cookies" to achieve a racial balance in the staff. The plaintiffs are suing for unspecified damages for lost pay, benefits and emotional distress.

A tape was made by a white plaintiff, who says it bears the voice of Jack Steele, a former division vice president, using profanity to describe a store in Largo and blaming its condition on the large number of black employees. "We got to get a staff in there and get rid of half the black people in there," says the voice on the tape.

Denis Shanagher, the attorney for Friedman's said, "with respect to allegations of discriminatory conduct by an employee, these issues have been previously investigated and properly addressed. Specifically, Friedman's management learned of possible misconduct by an individual in October 2000. A thorough and prompt investigation was undertaken and the individual in question was terminated as a result. For the past several years, Friedman's has been working cooperatively with the U.S. Equal Employment opportunity Commission (EEOC) to bring this matter to closure."