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Bass Pro accused of racist hiring practices in lawsuit

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Nationwide sporting goods retailer Bass Pro Outdoor World made a racist habit of not hiring black and Hispanic applicants, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The complaint alleges that managers regularly used derogatory names and that some in Texas, Louisiana and elsewhere said hiring black candidates “didn’t fit the corporate profile,” according to the suit.

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The company also retaliated against employees who complained about the hiring practices, sometimes firing them or forcing them to resign, according to the allegations. Managers also destroyed internal hiring records, according to the suit, which was filed in Texas court.

Bass Pro has discriminated against minority applicants since at least 2005, denying qualified people positions as cashiers, sales associates and managers, according to the complaint. The company has about 60 stores across the U.S. and Canada, including two in California.

The EEOC is seeking a permanent injunction prohibiting Bass Pro from future discrimination as well as back pay and other damages.

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-- Tiffany Hsu

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