Ex-General Mills employee alleges retaliation after he objected to ‘fun facts' Black history flyers
According to the lawsuit filed in Hennepin County (Minnesota) District Court, L. Lee Tyus Jr., who worked at a General Mills facility in St. Paul for more than five years, said he raised concerns in February after the company posted flyers in the employee breakroom as part of its Black History Month recognition. The flyers, decorated in red, black, and green - colors associated with the Pan-African flag - included brief descriptions of historic injustices, such as the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (also known as the Black Wall Street Massacre) and the Black Codes that preceded Jim Crow.
They were titled: "Fun Facts About Black History," according to photos included in Tyus' complaint.
Tyus found the phrasing offensive, according to the lawsuit, and asked the plant's human resources manager whether similar language would be used to describe atrocities involving white Americans. The HR manager allegedly responded: "No, it would just be labeled 'American Tragedies.' "
Days later, Tyus said he raised the issue with the plant manager and his team lead, "explaining that the situation caused him to use his paid time off and exert time and energy to deal with General Mills' response, stating: 'Much like the massacre(,) I wish this didn't happen and I could put energy into something actually 'Fun' or doing the work as I have for years before now.'"
When told no apology would be issued, he filed a formal complaint through the company's internal ethics platform. He was placed on leave the same day and instructed to submit medical documentation if he wished to return.
"After learning he was being placed on an involuntary leave, Tyus Jr. responded that he was 'being retaliated against for my beliefs and aren't being allowed back to work which feels again like an injustice,'" the lawsuit said.
When his leave ended, Tyus found his building access deactivated, the complaint says. Soon after, General Mills' Senior Employee Relations Lead, Tracey Hatchew, contacted him to discuss the allegations. She encouraged him to share her contact information with others who might also have been offended by the flyers.
With his supervisor's approval, Tyus printed flyers listing Hatchew's contact information and placed them on the same breakroom tables where the original posters had appeared.
On March 19, General Mills had Tyus escorted from the building and terminated his employment, citing "multiple violations of General Mills' standards of conduct and policies," according to the complaint.
"General Mills has a national brand and a deep Minnesota footprint," Tyus' attorney, Naomi Martin, wrote in a statement. "That kind of presence comes with responsibility and a company of this size should be modeling what it means to support employees who speak up - not firing them."
A spokesperson from General Mills wrote that while they cannot comment on pending litigation, "General Mills does not tolerate discrimination or retaliation."
Tyus is seeking at least $50,000 in damages for each of three counts named in the complaint.
Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
24 minutes ago
- New York Post
NFL can be put on trial over bombshell Brian Flores discrimination claims against league, Giants
The NFL can be put on trial over civil claims that Brian Flores and other Black coaches face discrimination, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, rejecting the league's attempt to force Flores into arbitration with Commissioner Roger Goodell as the arbitrator. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld Judge Valerie Caproni's ruling that Flores can proceed with claims against the league and three teams: the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans. Advertisement In a decision written by Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes, the appeals court said the NFL's arbitration rules forcing Flores to submit his claims to arbitration before Goodell do not have the protection of the Federal Arbitration Act because it 'provides for arbitration in name only.' The 2nd Circuit said the NFL constitution's arbitration provision 'contractually provides for no independent arbitral forum, no bilateral dispute resolution, and no procedure.' Brian Flores is the Vikings' defensive coordinator. Getty Images 'Instead, it offends basic presumptions of our arbitration jurisprudence' by forcing claims to be decided by the NFL's 'principal executive officer,' the appeals court said. Advertisement NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said: 'We respectfully disagree with the panel's ruling, and will be seeking further review.' Messages for comment were sent to lawyers who argued before the appeals court. In February 2022, Flores sued the league and several teams, saying the league was 'rife with racism,' particularly in its hiring and promotion of Black coaches. Advertisement Two other coaches later joined the lawsuit, which seeks to proceed as a class action, although Caproni ruled that their claims could go to arbitration based on the language in contracts they signed with teams. After filing his lawsuit, Flores said he believed he was risking the coaching career he loves by suing the NFL, but he said it was worth it for generations to come if he could succeed in challenging systemic racism in the league. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Getty Images Flores is currently the defense coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings after working previously as a coach for the New England Patriots from 2008 to 2018, the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. He joined the Vikings in 2023. Advertisement Caproni said in a March 2023 decision that descriptions by the coaches of their experiences of racial discrimination in a league with a 'long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.' 'Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,' she said.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Brian Flores' lawsuit against New York Giants can proceed, Circuit Court rules
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan has upheld a previous ruling by Judge Valerie Caproni, allowing Brian Flores' claims against the NFL and three of its teams, including the New York Giants, to proceed. In addition to the Giants, the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos are named in the lawsuit that was initially filed in 2022, claiming the league was "rife with racism" and that the hiring/promotion of minority coaches is intentionally flawed. ESPN reports that the decision came on Thursday. The NFL can be put on trial over civil claims that Brian Flores and other Black coaches face discrimination, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, finding insurmountable flaws with a league arbitration process that would permit commissioner Roger Goodell to serve as arbitrator. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld Judge Valerie Caproni's ruling that Flores can proceed with claims against the league and three teams: the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans. In a decision written by Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes, the appeals court said the NFL's arbitration rules forcing Flores to submit his claims to arbitration before Goodell do not have the protection of the Federal Arbitration Act because they provide for "arbitration in name only." At the time of his original filing, Flores claimed he was "humiliated" by the Giants for running him through a "sham interview." The team had just hired Brian Daboll as their next head coach, choosing him over Flores, who was a finalist for the job. Flores was informed of the Giants' decision through an accidental text by then-New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Giants co-owner John Mara denied Flores' claims, defended the decision to hire Daboll, and vowed to fight the allegations in court. "I'm not settling," Mara said at the time, via the New York Post. "Because the allegations are false and we're very comfortable with our hiring process. It was a fair process and we ended up making the decision we made based on a lot of factors, none of which had anything to do with race." Flores, who currently serves as defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, felt he was risking his NFL career after the filing, but claimed it would be worth the trouble to help establish better hiring practices for minority coaches. "The significance of the Second Circuit's decision cannot be overstated," Flores' attorneys -- Douglas H. Wigdor, David E. Gottlieb and John Elefterakis -- said in a statement. "For too long, the NFL has relied on a fundamentally biased and unfair arbitration process -- even in cases involving serious claims of discrimination. This ruling sends a clear message: that practice must end. This is a victory not only for NFL employees, but for workers across the country -- and for anyone who believes in transparency, accountability and justice." The NFL sees things differently. "We respectfully disagree with the panel's ruling, and will be seeking further review," spokesperson Brian McCarthy said. The Giants have yet to issue a statement following Thursday's ruling.
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Appeals court agrees NFL can be put on trial over claims Black coaches face discrimination
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL can be put on trial over civil claims that Brian Flores and other Black coaches face discrimination, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday, rejecting the league's attempt to force Flores into arbitration with Commissioner Roger Goodell as the arbitrator. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan upheld Judge Valerie Caproni's ruling that Flores can proceed with claims against the league and three teams: the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants and the Houston Texans. In a decision written by Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes, the appeals court said the NFL's arbitration rules forcing Flores to submit his claims to arbitration before Goodell do not have the protection of the Federal Arbitration Act because it 'provides for arbitration in name only.' The 2nd Circuit said the NFL constitution's arbitration provision 'contractually provides for no independent arbitral forum, no bilateral dispute resolution, and no procedure.' 'Instead, it offends basic presumptions of our arbitration jurisprudence' by forcing claims to be decided by the NFL's 'principal executive officer,' the appeals court said. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said: 'We respectfully disagree with the panel's ruling, and will be seeking further review.' Messages for comment were sent to lawyers who argued before the appeals court. In February 2022, Flores sued the league and several teams, saying the league was 'rife with racism,' particularly in its hiring and promotion of Black coaches. Two other coaches later joined the lawsuit, which seeks to proceed as a class action, although Caproni ruled that their claims could go to arbitration based on the language in contracts they signed with teams. After filing his lawsuit, Flores said he believed he was risking the coaching career he loves by suing the NFL, but he said it was worth it for generations to come if he could succeed in challenging systemic racism in the league. Flores is currently the defense coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings after working previously as a coach for the New England Patriots from 2008 to 2018, the Miami Dolphins from 2019 to 2021 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. He joined the Vikings in 2023. Caproni said in a March 2023 decision that descriptions by the coaches of their experiences of racial discrimination in a league with a 'long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.' 'Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,' she said.
