Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 1-31-17

Local State News
Hotel Settles EEOC Race Discrimination Lawsuit
FORT MYERS --- Hosp- man LLC will pay $35,000 and furnish other relief to set- tle a race discrimination law- suit filed by the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Hospman fired sev- eral Black employees in Au- gust 2012 after taking over management responsibility of a Fort Myers hotel.
The EEOC charged that Jose Carvalho, Hospman’s former Chief Executive Offi- cer, ordered the housekeep- ing supervisor, Tinica Jones, to terminate all of the housekeepers – all but one of whom were Black – because he did not work with “those kind of people.”
Carvalho also asked Jones about her race and, upon learning that she was Black, fired her as well. Risha Stewart, the only Black Front Desk Attendant, was also terminated, while other non-Black front desk workers were allowed to con- tinue their employment.
Race discrimination vio- lates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed the lawsuit against
Hospman, LLC (Case No. 2:15-cv-00419-JES-CM) in U. S. District Court for the Mid- dle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division, after first at- tempting to reach a pre-liti- gation settlement through its conciliation process.
Under the consent decree resolving the EEOC’s claims, Hospman will pay $35,000 to be distributed among the five discrimination victims.
Hospman will also revise policies regarding race dis- crimination complaints as set forth in its employee hand- book; conduct annual train- ing of its managers and supervisors on the require- ments of Title VII; post a no- tice about the lawsuit for its employees; and report to the EEOC regarding complaints of race discrimination and the company’s employment practices.
“The hospitality industry is an important sector of Florida’s economy and EEOC hopes this suit will serve as a reminder to all employers in the sector of the importance of their obligations under the federal antidiscrimination laws,” Robert Weisberg, EEOC Regional Attorney said.
Popular Tampa Police Officer Retires After 21 Years Of Service
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
In January 1996, Ms. Susan Bowers graduated from the police academy after com- pleting several weeks of training. She was one of the individuals sponsored by the Tampa Po- lice Department.
At the time she joined, she was fortunate enough to work with and learn from seasoned police officers such as Marion Lewis and Sam Jones.
“I learned how to handle the dangers and the politics of the job,” she said.
During her 21-year tenure, Master Patrol Officer Bowers was always in the heart of the community, and worked in such areas as the North Blvd. Homes in West Tampa, Robles Park, College Hill, Sulphur Springs and Riverview Terrace.
And, while other officers may have shunned working in what was considered high crime areas, Officer Bowers embraced the opportunity. “I got to know many citizens and leaders of the community, who were in some cases misunderstood. I tried to bridge that gap between the people and the police. That was important to me because we need it for our safety and longevity and still need it today. I’m so grateful to have made this 21-year journey. I can’t say it was all positive toward me from others.
“This is no negative reflection on our cur- rent command staff. I know they cannot teach respect for my activism, but during the last two years under Chief Eric Ward, he has in- spired more than a few about the importance of representing yourself and the department in a way that makes not only the community look at you positively,” she said.
As an officer in the community, Officer Bowers established herself as a no nonsense type of officer. Yet, she achieved the balance of gaining the respect of the community by striv- ing to ensure that the people she encountered were treated fairly.
And, as a result, she established a rapport with all ages of the people in the community.
Her last assignment took her to the RICH House in Robles. Once there, Officer Bow-
ers decided that the center would be more than just a place for the children in Robles to “hang out.” She held a variety of programs that exposed the youth in the area to different cul- tural aspects of the surroundings.
Officer Bowers, 60, said, “I want to stay involved in the development of the RICH House because that is a vital part of bridging that gap between the community and police.”
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Officer Bow- ers is the daughter of John and (the late) Mrs. Loretta Ingraham, a well-known and popular community activist.
In keeping with her mother’s activist spirit, Officer Bowers said she’s going to get in- volved at her church, New Salem M. B. Church, where Rev. Dr. Henry Lyons is the pastor. She also plans to take it easy, get cre- ative with her hobby of sewing, and just take it easy.
“I plan to quietly continue my quest for equality and justice for all communities. This is not goodbye, I’ll just let me catch my breath,” she said.
Master Police Officer Susan Bowers is shown with Tampa Police Chief Eric Ward.
Florida Bar Launches New Website With Peer-To- Peer Support For Lawyers
Sometimes, even lawyers need guidance when con- fronted with a challenging matter or area of law that is unfamiliar.
And in those times, The Florida Bar wants its mem- bers to know that peer sup- port is available.
Through its partnership with the Young Lawyers Di- vision, The Florida Bar has launched a new web- site, Lawyers Advising Lawyers, featuring a peer-to- peer program giving mem- bers across the state access to veteran attorneys who can help answer procedural and substantive legal questions across more than 50 practice areas.
Lawyers Advising Lawyers gives experienced attorneys a platform to assist lawyers with issues they have previously dealt with during their careers. The program uses technology to provide immediate interac- tion by phone or email with other lawyers working in dif- ferent parts of the state.
To qualify as an advisor,
attorneys must have a mini- mum of five years of experi- ence in their respective area(s) of advice and must be a member of The Florida Bar in good standing. Partic- ipating advisors will receive one CLE credit per consulta- tion for a total of five CLE credits per year.
To enroll, qualified advi- sors can click on the “Be- come an Advisor” button on the program’s website and will then be prompted to log in with their Florida Bar Identification Number and password. After reviewing the requirements and click- ing on the “I Agree” button, the advisor will then be con- tacted by The Florida Bar when matched with an in- quiring attorney (advisee).
Within 48 hours, the in- quiring attorney will contact the attorney advisor by phone or email.
To apply to volunteer as an advisor or for more infor- mation about Lawyers Ad- vising Lawyers visit www.advisinglawyers.com.
PAGE 4 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017