Detroit woman who said she was fired over noose photo returns to work

A Detroit woman is back at work after saying she was fired in February for taking a photo of what she believed was a noose designed to scare African-Americans at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant.

Charlene Lust and her four children had been facing eviction from their apartment on Detroit’s west side because she lost her income. But on Monday, her employer, Kentucky-based MacLellan Integrated Services, allowed her to return to work at the auto plant.

Lust said she was fired for photographing the noose. Employees are barred from taking photos at the plant.

"I'm just blessed that I'm able to get ... something in return for the stuff that I went through," she told the Free Press. "I'm just honored and thankful that this happened."

Bill Wilkins, director of human resources and corporate development for MacLellan, said the company is "delighted" by the outcome.

“We are delighted that our ongoing discussions with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have resulted in a positive outcome for Ms. Lust. MacLellan has long been committed both to providing excellent service to our clients and to being an employer of choice. It is gratifying that both our client and our employee are pleased," Wilkins wrote in an email to the Free Press.

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