A former executive at Hyundai’s Montgomery plant says she was excluded from leadership functions for a four-year period because of her gender and race, according to a complaint filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Artur Davis, an attorney for Yvette Gilkey-Shuford, said she was previously the top ranked female and Black executive at the auto factory until her position was terminated last month.
She intends to file a lawsuit within a month, Davis said.
“Her termination was a clear cut example of retaliation,” Davis said.
Attempts to contact Hyundai for comment were not immediately returned.
According to the three-page EEOC charge filed Tuesday, Gilkey-Shuford began working at Hyundai in 2003 and advanced to director of administration in 2018, one of nine people on the plant’s executive team.
However, Gilkey-Shuford, who has an MBA, was paid almost $15,000 less than the only other member of the team with an advanced degree, according to the complaint.
And when she was elevated to the position, her department no longer had authority over the human resources department and team relations, she said.
The complaint alleges that Gilkey-Shuford was denied participation in several management committees, such as long-term business planning, policies and procedures, and compensation and benefits.
Gilkey-Shuford says she was terminated after a draft memorandum by employees was forwarded to Hyundai’s California executive management team without her knowledge.
The memo dealt with how the plant could better recognize Pride Month, as well as possible changes to company policy regarding name changes for transgender employees.
According to Gilkey-Shuford, her job was eliminated as part of a restructuring that was “limited exclusively to my role.”
