Recently, Exxon Mobile was sued by the EEOC because they allege the petrochemical company failed to protect worker from harassment after nooses were displayed in its Baton Rouge complex. However, this is not as rare as people may think.

On July 22, 2021, The Washington Post published an article describing a rising trend of nooses at construction sites. "Black workers, who make up only 6 percent of the sector, have found many of the 55 nooses reported at 40 work sites since 2015."

The EEOC posted a running list of racial discrimination cases that include racial slurs and nooses in the workplace throughout the 21st century. Even as we transitioned from the 20th century, the EEOC shared their concerns over an increase of nooses in the workplace through the late 1990s into the early 2000s.

Racially offensive conduct can create a hostile environment and compromise safety and job performance. Legal experts will tell you that if you find a noose or other racially hostile or insensitive materials in your workspace, locker or other work setting, you may have a case for racial harassment. If you are an organization where an employee has reported these types of experiences, there is a legal obligation to take immediate action to stop it and reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.