Comments on: Pepsi settles Discrimination Lawsuit…

By: tim

tim — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 15:55:15 +0000

The monetary settlement will primarily be divided among black applicants for positions at Pepsi.

So not one asian, hispanic or white person was denied a job because of a past arrest or will see any $? Just black folks?

By: patrick blackshear

patrick blackshear — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:39:47 +0000

Pepsi beverages group has not learned from past mistakes they still discriminate against african americans during their hiring process by firing them if they have an accident during their 90 day probation period. This is even if they haven’t been previously written up for any company rule violation. I am one of those who were and have seen white and hispanic employees receive less harsher punishment for like offenses. If that’s not racial discrimination ….. what is it? Equal opportunity to be hired also means equal opportunityto be fired.

By: Anthony Neal

Anthony Neal — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:27:32 +0000

Driving offenses are considered criminal. I got denied employment at pbg because I had an open traffic case in 2005. Also today I got denied employment because of a traffic violation that occured in 2002. Didn’t think to check yes for convictions because of it. Anyhow no job & no checks equates to another unemployed black man with an attitude and a chip on his shoulder. This is some bullsh…

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:13:40 +0000

So Im to assume that not one single black person works for Pepsi? I’m white with no criminal background and I grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood. I managed to get through my life without committing a crime and I worked at getting myself educated in a trade that is useful for employers.

By: marie

marie — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 07:15:45 +0000

Let’s not miss the point that mere arrests were being used here. We still have innocent until proven guilty do we not? The commodification of arrest only info all across the internet and now by our states’ and federal law enforcement, disrespects this basic right and erases the whole purpose and function of our judicial system. We should not accept this expansion of police powers and leave our citizens under suspicion for a lifetime. Fully 1/3 are arrested , all colors, between 18-24 years old, that is a lot of people vulnerable to this un-American activity. Know your rights, guard those rights.

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:54:42 +0000

I believe Brad after reading your comment you should re-think what you stated. I most likely believe that they are not talking about stoned killers and rapist but small things like someone who got into a fist fight when he was in his early twenties or someone who stole a piece of candy when he was 18. There are many scenarios in which people have changed or just plainly grew up. These mistakes have been paid for. These people have families. They should not be withheld from job opportunities because of these mistakes. However if you do that agree and call yourself an american, maybe you’ll be the next article i will be reading of a business owner being sued fir discrimination.

By: Brad

Brad — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:04:02 +0000

This disgusts me! I am a business owner and I do not want convicted criminals working for me either. Now we are being told that the Constitution protects CONVICTED CRIMINALS in regards to employment? WHAT? What is this country coming to? Where are we going? If Pepsico discriminated against blacks, then throw the book at them – but to find against Pepsico in this ruling is absurd! Not to mention that, according to what I have read, this settlement will be paid out to blacks that were not afforded the opportunity of a job because of this policy. So the whites that were also left out because of this policy don’t get part of the settlement? Yet again, completely ABSURD! It is time that the black community in this country QUIT claiming discrimination about anything and everything! Sure, discrimination still exists – from both sides mind you, but if you are a CONVICTED CRIMINAL and a company doesn’t want to hire you then you should look elsewhere for employment, like, say the EEOC! Maybe they would hire you but I doubt it!

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:11:31 +0000

Kudos to those who filed this lawsuit and won the settlement! It is not about the financial award that is significant but upholding the rule of law.

People who make mistakes, are punished for those mistakes, and have shown a track record of rehabilitation should not be denied employment arbitrarily. It does little to lessen crime and creates a revolving door of people coming home, not being able to get work, going back to prison, and the cycle repeats itself.

Further, it is not the character of our young men that is in question. I do not think had behavior should be excused but when a majority of the prison population or convicts are disproportionally African-American or Hispanic men, it says more about the system than the character of these men.

There is simply no way to explain the high conviction rate amongst minority groups when they collectively make up less than 30% of the population. Does that mean that most African Americans or Hispanics are bad? I do not think so. Let’s give people a chance to work and actually have a real chance instead of punishing them perpetually for bad choices that they made years ago!!!! This is akin to a punishment for life. Pay your debt to society=should be allowed to integrate fully into society. How else are these people supposed to reform themselves?

The answer is not spending money on more building prisons but creating programs that prevent crime in the first place.

By: Malik

Malik — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:58:48 +0000

I think it’s a sad state of things when we need to argue for things like this under the name of equality. WE need to take charge and attack the root problem: the poor character of many of our young men.