Smith Nephew Race Discrimination Class Action

Case name: Wooten, et al. v. Smith & Nephew

Filed in: [U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee]

Docket: [Case No.: 2:06-CV-02571]

Case Summary

In 2007, Sanford Heisler Sharp filed a class action lawsuit against Smith & Nephew on behalf of current, former, or prospective Black employees, alleging violation of Title VII of The Civil Rights Act through systemic racial discrimination in hiring, job placement, and promotion.

Smith & Nephew is a global, publicly traded company that develops and markets advanced medical devices for healthcare professionals. The Complaint alleged that company managers and supervisors promoted white employees over their more senior Black counterparts; hired white employees over more highly qualified Black candidates; and favored white employees in job assignments, promotional opportunities, training, compensation, and other benefits of employment.

After mediation in July 2008, the parties reached agreement on a monetary settlement of $3.4 million. Smith & Nephew also agreed to institute programmatic relief.