EEOC brings claims for anti-American national origin discrimination

On May 12, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against Oregon-based Advanced Technology Group, Inc., a project-based construction services company with jobsites nationwide. The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico federal court and claims the company violated federal law by allowing the harassment of American workers at its Rio Rancho, New Mexico, location and firing one employee because he complained about the harassment.

Background

According to the lawsuit, around June 2023, two employees were subjected to anti-American slurs by their Mexican coworkers. They also took one of the American employee’s tools without his permission, thereby impeding his ability to work; ignored his directives; and derided him because he couldn’t speak Spanish fluently.

The employee complained about the harassment to his direct supervisor, who did nothing to address the harassment, allegedly leading to more harassment and more complaints. After his direct supervisor continued to do nothing about the harassment, he complained to a different supervisor on July 17, 2023. The next day, his direct supervisor fired him in retaliation for complaining “above [the direct supervisor’s] head,” the EEOC says.

In a social media post, the EEOC stated it “will not stand by and allow anti-American bias to infect this nation’s workplace.” 

Takeaway