By Heart of Illinois ABC
BLOOMINGTON – State Farm Insurance offered so-called “hush money” to settle discrimination claims from African-American and other minority employees, according to prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who’s suing the Bloomington-based company on behalf of fired long-time worker.
Crump issued a news release Monday about the emergence of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) documents revealing that State Farm made settlement offers. Crump said those offers amount to an admission that the company did know about the validity of discrimination and retaliation claims alleged by Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson.
“So, it’s entirely disingenuous for State Farm to pretend and publicly state that her charges have no merit,” said Crump in a prepared statement.
Campbell-Jackson, who worked 28 years at State Farm, said the company fired her after she rejected $175,000 in “hush money” and after speaking out about “extreme racism and retaliation.”
Last week, a State Farm spokesperson said Campbell-Jackson was terminated because she shared sensitive and confidential employee information outside the company.
The spokesperson went on to say that Campbell-Jackson’s allegations are without merit and contrary to the company’s values.
“We seek candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences and do not tolerate or condone discrimination of any kind,” the spokesperson said.
The company chose not to respond to Crump’s latest statements.
Crump said the EEOC, following a five-year review, found in Campbell-Jackson’s favor and granted her the right to proceed with a lawsuit.
“It’s time for State Farm to do the right thing by Dr. Campbell-Jackson, both in its public statements and in the settlement of this case, and to use this as a catalyst to affirm State Farm’s belief in diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Crump.
Campbell-Jackson is 1st Vice President of the NAACP’s Bloomington-Normal branch and is former President of the organization’s branch in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
In addition to representing Campbell-Jackson, Crump is the attorney for families of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. Crump also represents the mother of Jelani Day, the late Illinois State University graduate student found dead in September in the Illinois River in LaSalle County.
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