B&H Photo Sued Again For Discriminating Against Employees

For the third time in five years, B&H Photo and Video is being sued by employees who say the company has denied them promotions because of race or gender. Bronx residents Luis Santana and Carlos Marchand filed a lawsuit yesterday accusing the huge retailer of denying them promotions and raises because they are Hispanic, the Daily News reports. And their lawyer says he'll make it a class action lawsuit if more people come forward (which, considering B&H's track record, is a definite possibility).

Santana worked for B&H for 15 years, and traveled with his superiors on business trips to Central and South America in support of Abraxas to help the company expand its base there. But after all his time served, his applications for promotions were shot down in 2006, 2008 and 2009. Santana was finally fired in 2010, the News reports, as was Marchand, who is accusing B&H of fostering an abusive work environment. He says that during his six years at B&H, he saw many non-Hispanics with less experience get promoted over him.

For those at home playing the B&H discrimination drinking game, note that In 2007, B&H agreed to a $4.3 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after it was found Hispanic employees in its warehouses were paid less than other workers, many of whom are Orthodox Satmar Jews. And in 2010, a group of mostly former employees filed an $8 million lawsuit alleging that they were denied sales positions because of their gender. The lead plaintiff, cashier Nakisha Cushnie, said that when she showed interest in a sales position, she was told, “I couldn't because I'm a woman. That simple. That's it." That case is still pending.

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