Mail Carrier Files Suit, Says She Was Target of Racial Harassment

A white South Toledo woman has filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against the Postmaster General for ongoing racial harassment she says she received from African-American co-workers while employed at a West Toledo post office.

Deb S. White, a letter carrier who was employed by the United States Postal Service for more than 24 years, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Thursday against Postmaster General Megan Brennan — the executive officer for the nation’s postal service — for harassment and hostility while she was assigned to work at the Toledo-Reynolds Corners Station, 6020 W. Bancroft St., according to the complaint.

Beginning in July, 2018, Ms. White claims she became a target of bullying from co-workers, who were African-American. The harassment consisted of verbal taunts, raised voices, and staring — which varied in intensity each day — but became a regular occurrence, Ms. White’s attorneys, Catherine Killam and Matthew Bryant, wrote in the complaint.

{snip}

Ms. White addressed the matter with the post office’s management, though there was no action taken to remedy the situation, her attorneys said. Ms. White later filed an informal complaint with an Equal Employment Opportunity counselor. While mediation of the informal complaint resulted in an agreed-upon remedy, another situation arose in September.

On Sept. 28, an African-American clerk took issue with Ms. White’s placement of her equipment — though her attorneys noted it was no different than how her other African-American co-workers placed their equipment. The attorneys claim the clerk began yelling at Ms. White and verbally attacking her on personal matters, which prevented or delayed her attempt to complete her work.

Ms. White reported the perceived racially motivated mistreatment to a manager, but he advised her “it was ignorant to accuse African-Americans of racism,” the complaint stated.

{snip}