Rinnier Development Company, a commercial and residential real estate company, together with its related companies, will pay $25,000 and furnish significant equitable relief to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by EEOC. 

The Salisbury, Md.-based Rinnier, which manages six housing communities, hired Shannon Payton, who is African-American, as an assistant community manager at its Arden's Run facility in Princess Anne, Md.  The EEOC charged that even though Payton had performed the duties of a community manager, Rinnier paid her lower wages than it paid to white community managers because of her race.   The EEOC also charged that Rinnier refused to promote her to a permanent community manager position, and instead promoted five white assistant community managers, including one who had only worked for the company for two months.  

In addition to the $25,000 in monetary relief to Payton, the 18-month consent decree resolving the lawsuit enjoins Rinnier from engaging in any future race discrimination or otherwise violating Title VII.  Rinnier will provide training on the federal equal employment opportunity laws to management personnel, officers and those responsible for making compensation and promotion decisions.  Rinnier will report to the EEOC about how it handled any internal complaints of alleged race discrimination and post a notice regarding the settlement.  

Be advised that the EEOC is committed to eliminating barriers that prevent African-American and all other protected categories of employees from getting the promotions for which they are qualified and the equal pay they have earned. The law is clear that pay and promotion decisions should be made based on someone's qualifications and not her race.