NY Bakery Fined $25,000 For Telling Applicant No Hire Because She's Black

It's been nearly 50 years since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, but racial equality in the workplace is far from a reality. African-American workers are still on the receiving end of hateful epithets. They're also still twice as likely to be unemployed as White workers, as AOL Jobs has reported. Looking for on-the-ground proof of racism in the workplace? Here's what appears to be one example: Jamilah DeCosta said when she applied for a counter job at the Framboise Patisserie in the New York City borough of Queens back in 2011, she was told by one of the owners, "I can't hire you because you're black."

The 25-year old native of the Rego Park section of Queens applied for the counter job after responding to an ad on Craigslist. And she claims the racist message was delivered directly by bakery co-owner Patty Meimetea during her interview. Shaken by the experience, DeCosta filed a complaint with the city's Human Rights Commission. After an investigation and trial, the commission fined the bakery $25,000. The penalty was also the result of the "counter girl" ad's gender bias excluding men, according to the commission.