LUCOR, INC., d/b/a JIFFY LUBE, AND EEOC ENTER REGIONAL MEDIATION PARTNERSHIP

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From left to right: Joyce Pullman, Senior Investigator, Bernice Williams-Kimbrough, Atlanta District Director; Michael Davis, Vice President, Lucor, Inc.; and Brenda B. Webb, Enforcement Superviso

Forty-Ninth Major Mediation Pact Between Federal Agency and Corporate America

ATLANTA - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Lucor, Inc., doing business as Jiffy Lube, today announced the signing of a Regional Universal Agreement to Mediate (RUAM)to informally resolve workplace disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) prior to an EEOC investigation or potential litigation.

Raleigh, N.C.-based Lucor, Inc. and its subsidiaries are one of the largest Jiffy Lube franchisees, with more than 2,100 employees and 210 facilities in seven states. The mediation partnership marks the 49th such national or regional agreement between the EEOC and a large employer (mainly Fortune 500 companies) and bolsters a multi-year trend of Corporate America signing on to the Commission's widely acclaimed mediation program one of the largest employment-related ADR programs of its kind nationwide, with approximately 11,600 mediations conducted annually.

"We commend Lucor for working with us in partnership to reach this important agreement," said EEOC Atlanta District Office Director Bernice Williams-Kimbrough, who signed the pact on behalf of Commission Chair Cari M. Dominguez. "Mediation of workplace disputes is a win-win situation because it saves time and money, is non-adversarial, and often results in favorable outcomes for all parties involved. Dozens of corporations can attest to the fact that employers have nothing to lose, and much to gain, by fully taking advantage of EEOC mediation."

Commenting on the agreement, Michael D. Davis, Lucor's Vice President of Administration, said: "Lucor, Inc. is proud of its reputation as an equal opportunity employer. We are excited to partner with the EEOC in offering our associates this ground-breaking format for dispute resolution."

Davis noted that Lucor was founded in 1986 by brothers Stephen Conway, CEO, and Jerry Conway, President. Jiffy Lube pioneered the fast oil change industry in 1979, and its slogan, "The Well-Oiled Machine," exemplifies its commitment to excellence, he said. Additional information about Lucor, Inc. is available online at www.jiffylube.com.

Under the terms of the RUAM, all eligible charges of discrimination filed with the Commission naming Lucor, Inc., or its subsidiaries Atlanta Lubes One LLC; Carolina Lubes, Inc.; Cincinnati Lubes, Inc.; Pittsburgh Lubes, Inc.; Tennessee Lubes Two, LLC; and Commonwealth Lubes, Inc., as the employer/respondent will be referred to the EEOC's mediation unit, as appropriate. The company will designate a corporate representative to handle all inquiries and other logistical matters related to potential charges in order to facilitate a prompt scheduling of the matter for EEOC mediation. Only company-owned facilities are covered by the RUAM.

Expanding mediation is the centerpiece of Chair Dominguez's Five-Point Plan to improve the EEOC's overall operational efficiency and effectiveness. Since April 1999, when its ADR program was launched nationally, EEOC has mediated more than 50,000 cases with approximately 70% being successfully resolved in an average time of 85 days nearly half the time it takes to resolve a charge through the investigative process. In addition to the 49 NUAMs and RUAMs, EEOC district offices have entered into approximately 550 mediation agreements with employers at the local and regional levels within their respective jurisdictions.

EEOC's experience over the years has shown that 13-20% of mediated cases are resolved based solely on a non-monetary benefit, and some resolutions are obtained in only one session. Moreover, a comprehensive survey conducted by independent researchers showed that 91% of charging parties and 96% of employers that have used EEOC mediation would do so again if a charge was filed irrespective of issues, bases, size of employer, or whether the charge was resolved or not. The study concluded that the parties saw the EEOC's mediation process as fair, neutral, and efficient.

The EEOC enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals 40 years of age or older; sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991; the Equal Pay Act; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; and the Rehabilitation Act's prohibitions against disability discrimination in the federal government. Further information about the Commission is available online at www.eeoc.gov.