Headline Cases
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
McIntyre, et al. v. Lennar Corporation
SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – Three employees of Lennar Corporation, the company developing the Hunters Point Shipyard, filed a whistle blower lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court on March 16, 2007, alleging that they suffered retaliation after reporting asbestos dust exposure and racial discrimination. Specifically, Lennar and its subcontractors failed to contain asbestos dust while drilling into the Shipyard site, endangering the local community, including the school children of the neighboring Muslim University. When Plaintiffs complained to their managers about the asbestos exposure, they were told to maintain a “code of silence” and ordered not to inform the community that the asbestos monitoring equipment was faulty. Said Plaintiffs attorney, Angela Alioto, “this is environmental racism. Lennar is making a profit while polluting a minority community.” Lennar’s misconduct continued despite multiple citations from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and approximately 15 shutdowns when asbestos reached dangerous levels. Plaintiffs further allege systematic discrimination and harassment against African-American employees, subcontractors and consultants.