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$4M Settlement Awarded In Sara Lee Discrimination Case

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Federal attorneys with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission today announced a $4 million settlement for former workers at the now closed Sara Lee factory in Paris.

The settlement is said to be the largest in the history of the EEOC in Dallas involving a hostile work environment.

This past Febuary, the EEOC released its findings, the results of a two year investigation into complaints.

It found violations of civil rights, that black employees suffered intimidation, racial taunts such as being called the 'N' word,  and graffiti, and were steered into hazardous areas of the plant, exposing them to toxic materials.

More than two dozen workers from the now-shut down baking factory are part of the federal lawsuit.

Sara Lee, now a  subsidiary of Tyson, sent CBS11 a statement saying in part they're "committed to treating team members with dignatiy and respect and have a policy against harassment and discrimination."

While the company says it doesn't agree with all of the allegations in this case, it believes it makes sense to resolve this matter.

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