A word to the wise: Employers that use the threat of deportation to intimidate their foreign-born crew members are playing a risky game. Consider the plight of Bob’s Tire Co., New Bedford, MA, which just agreed to fork over $250,000 to settle a lawsuit initiated by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
According to the EEOC, Bob Bates, company owner, referred to Guatemalan crew members as “f-ck-ng Guatemalans,” and told them to “go back to their country.”
When Bates handed out paychecks, he wore a hat with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo. After the Guatemalan employees went on strike, he fired every one of them. Several workers contacted the EEOC, which sued for national-origin bias.
Based on EEOC v. Bob’s Tire Co.
(From the August 22, 2025, issue of HR Manager’s Legal Alert for Supervisors. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)
IOBP
Institute of Business Publications
Subtle deportation threats prove costly
By iobp