1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Piggly Wiggly Owner/Operator Sued by EEOC for Race and Gender Discrimination
Press Release 09-29-2010

Piggly Wiggly Owner/Operator Sued by EEOC for Race and Gender Discrimination

Tennessee Company Refuses to Hire African-Americans and Males at Its Hartsville Piggly Wiggly, Federal Agency Charges

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A Hartsville, Tenn., company that owns and operates five groceries in middle Tennessee and Kentucky violated federal law by refusing to hire a class of African-Americans and males as employees, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed September 28, 2010. 

The EEOC's suit, Civil Action No. 3:10-cv-00901, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, asserts that MWR Enterprises Inc., II, doing business as Piggy Wiggly, refused to hire Kaleb McClellan and a class of African-Americans for positions at the company's Piggly Wiggly store in Hartsville because of their race.  The EEOC further charged that the company maintains a segregated work force and has refused to hire males in the position of cashier. 

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement.  The suit seeks monetary relief in the form of back pay and compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement and an injunction against future discrimination.

"The company's refusal to hire Mr. McClellan was based on his race and gender and not on his qualifications to perform the duties of the job," said Katharine W. Kores, district director of the EEOC's Memphis District Office, which has jurisdiction over Arkansas, Tennessee and portions of Mississippi.  "Further, preferring one sex over another for certain positions violates federal law.  This type of blatant race and gender discrimination is a priority for the EEOC.  Employers cannot refuse to allow blacks and males to be denied work based on discriminatory stereotypes."

   

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.