Exxon sued by US after 5 slipknots found at Louisiana factory in 4 years

The US government has filed a lawsuit against oil giant Exxon Mobil after a black Louisiana factory worker discovered a noose hanging in the building in 2020. It was one of several nooses found in the facility over the years.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleges that Exxon violated federal law by only investigating certain incidents involving nooses at the Baton Rouge plant. .

“A noose is a long-standing symbol of the violence associated with the lynching of African Americans,” said Elizabeth Owen, an attorney at the EEOC in New Orleans. “Such symbols are inherently threatening and dramatically alter the work environment for black Americans.”

Milferd McGhee discovered the noose in January 2020 and reported it to his supervisor. McGhee, who had worked at the Exxon plant since 2010, knew that three other nooses had already been found at the plant since 2016, according to the lawsuit.

Exxon never found who left the nooses and “did not implement all of the actions recommended in its investigation report to address the harassment,” the lawsuit said.

Later that year, in December 2020, a fifth noose was discovered at the same plant, according to the lawsuit.

Exxon told CBS News in a statement that it disagrees with the trial’s findings that it failed to conduct a thorough investigation.

“We encourage employees to report complaints like this, and we have conducted a thorough investigation,” Exxon said. “Hate symbols are unacceptable, offensive and in violation of our company policies.”