San Francisco will have to pay $8.7 million to Black city staffers as settlement, and the lawsuit filed months after the murder of George Floyd

San Francisco is set to pay a total of $8.7 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by current and former Black city staffers who alleged widespread workplace discrimination, The San Francisco Standard reported. This settlement marks a significant moment for the city, addressing long-standing claims regarding disparities in pay, promotions, and disciplinary actions within government offices.

The legal action originated in November 2020, occurring months after the murder of George Floyd. That period triggered a national conversation about social and economic disparities, and this case brought those issues directly into the halls of local government.

The four lead plaintiffs, Keka Robinson-Luqman, Alicia Williams, John Hill, and William Sparks, were instrumental in bringing these concerns to light. Under the terms of the agreement, each of these four individuals will receive $181,250. The remaining $8 million will be distributed among approximately 4,800 other employees, which works out to more than $1,500 per person.

To build their case, the plaintiffs looked closely at the city’s own internal data

The numbers were quite revealing, showing that while Black employees accounted for 15% of the total workforce, they were responsible for 32% of all Equal Employment Opportunity complaints. Furthermore, the data indicated a significant wage gap, with white employees earning $15.31 an hour more than their Black counterparts.

Beyond these statistics, the plaintiffs shared personal accounts of their time working for the city. Robinson-Luqman, who worked at the Municipal Transportation Agency, described her experience as involving “relentless harassment and discrimination” by a supervisor. She specifically highlighted an instance where her former boss made a comment about nooses being hung in the office, which is a deeply troubling detail.

Dante King, who founded the Black Employees Alliance and has been a vocal advocate for city staff, views this development as a necessary step forward. He described the settlement as a “landmark agreement that can serve as one mechanism for repair where San Francisco has failed Black employees historically, and still, in many ways, is failing Black employees.” He also noted, “This is a start to enact some measures of repairs that are seriously needed where Black employees and constituents are concerned.”

From the perspective of the legal team representing the plaintiffs, the financial award is a meaningful acknowledgment of the issues at play. Attorney Felicia Medina stated, “The money itself is some recognition that there has been some harm done.” While the agreement is a major milestone, it isn’t quite finished yet. Medina explained that the settlement still needs to be passed by the Board of Supervisors and Mayor Daniel Lurie. Once that happens, it will head back to court for final approval.

The city has signaled a desire to move past this litigation. Jen Kwart, a spokesperson for City Attorney David Chiu, said that the city is pleased with the outcome. According to Kwart, “San Francisco strives to ensure all employees are paid fairly and have equal access to promotive opportunities.” She added, “We are pleased that we could come to a mutual resolution that avoids the costs of continued litigation and reflects the City’s ongoing commitment to improving its workplace practices.”

It’s clear that this settlement is intended to close a difficult chapter, though the focus now shifts to whether these measures will successfully address the underlying workplace culture in the long term.