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Orrington Firm Subjected Employees to Sexual Advances and Scientology Indoctrination and Fired Those Who Complained, Federal Agency Charged

CHICAGO – A Chicago dental practice will pay $462,500 to settle a class sexual and religious harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that James L. Orrington, D.M.D., Ltd. discriminated against 18 employees by

Universal Agreement in Florida Covers 56 'Old Country Store' Locations Statewide

TAMPA – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (Cracker Barrel) today announced the signing of a Universal Agreement to Mediate (UAM) to informally resolve workplace disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) prior to an EEOC investigation or potential litigation.  The UAM applies to 56 Cracker Barrel establishments throughout Florida.

Federal Agency Charged Cell Phone Refurbishing Company With Paying Hispanic Workers Less Than Others and Firing Employees Who Complained

NEW YORK – A New York-based  company that refurbishes cell phones at its factory in Long  Island will pay $435,000 to settle a wage discrimination and  retaliation suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),  the agency announced today.

The EEOC  had charged that First Wireless Group, Inc. engaged in a pattern or

WASHINGTON – Naomi C. Earp, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), today announced the federal agency will hold a symposium with the National Partnership for Women and Families to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 9 a.m. The event will be held at the headquarters of the National Education Association (NEA) at 1201 16th St., NW.

EEOC Says Retail Giant Requires Employees to Reveal Confidential Medical Information

SAN DIEGO – Dillard Store Services, Inc.  (Dillard’s), the nationwide chain of department stores, unlawfully discrimin­ates  against employees by requiring them to disclose personal and confidential  medical information or face disciplinary action including termination, the U.S.  Equal Employ­ment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges in a class lawsuit  filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The EEOC states in the litigation  that the Dillard’s

Corrections Department Provided Lesser Benefits to Female Corrections Officers Who Gave Birth While on Workers' Compensation Leave

NEW YORK – The New York State Department of Correctional Services will pay nearly $1 million to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the two offices announced today.  The EEOC and the United States had charged the Corrections Department

Retail Giant Refused to Hire Man With Cerebral Palsy, Federal Agency Charged

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Wal-Mart  Stores, Inc. will pay $300,000 to a Hardin, Mo., man to settle a disability  discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity  Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its suit, the EEOC alleged that Wal-Mart refused to  hire Steve Bradley, who has cerebral palsy and uses crutches or a wheelchair  for

Agency Charged That Fort Wayne Company Denied Referrals Based on Age and Race, Retaliated Against Employees Who Objected to Discriminatory Practices

INDIANAPOLIS – A Fort Wayne staffing company will settle an age, race and retaliation discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The company will pay a total of $580,000 and will also pay up to $5,000 in settlement administrative expenses.

Discrimination Charges Highest in Five Years; Agency Obtains $345 Million for Victims

WASHINGTON  – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received a total of  82,792 private sector discrimination charge filings last fiscal year, the  highest volume of incoming charges since 2002 and the largest annual increase  (9%) since the early 1990s, the agency reported today as part of its Fiscal  Year 2007 enforcement and litigation statistics. The data, available online

Sheet Metal Workers' Local 28 Discriminated Against Blacks and Hispanics for Years, Suit Says

NEW YORK – A federal court has granted final approval for a $6.2 million partial settlement for black and Hispanic sheet metal workers who suffered discrimination by their union, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today. 

The EEOC and the State and City of New York, along with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil

Blackwood Becomes Second EEOC Attorney to Receive ABA Honor

WASHINGTON -- Vincent Blackwood, Assistant General Counsel of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), will receive the "Federal Labor and Employment Attorney of the Year" award from the American Bar Association (ABA).

Blackwood was selected for the award by the ABA's Labor and Employment Law Section.  This distinguished award recognizes a federal attorney whose professional achievements exemplify excellence of legal work in

EEOC Settles Suit Charging Male Former Regional Vice President With Victimizing Male Former Senior Accounts Executive

MIAMI  – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that United  HealthCare of Florida, Inc. will pay $1.8 million to settle a same-sex harassment  and retaliation lawsuit charging that the male former regional vice president  of key accounts subjected a male former top senior account executive to  repeated verbal sexual harassment in Sunrise, Fla.

EEOC Says Financial Services Giant Demoted Class of Pregnant Women, Reduced Their Pay

NEW YORK, N.Y.– Bloomberg L.P., the news and financial services company, violated federal law by discriminating against a class of female employees who became pregnant and took maternity leave, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges in a lawsuit filed today under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

In its suit, the EEOC

Former Area Supervisor with Hearing Impairment Wins Harassment Case

DALLAS – The U.S. Equal Employment  Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has received a favorable jury verdict of $166,500  in a disability harassment lawsuit brought against a Subway restaurant  franchise, BobRich Enterprises, Inc., on behalf of a female manager who was  discriminated against and forced to resign because of her hearing impairment.

The Dallas jury of five women and two men awarded former  area supervisor Tammy

Alamo Car Rental Fired Young Muslim Woman After 9/11 Attacks for Wearing Head Scarf During Ramadan, Agency Charged

PHOENIX – A Phoenix jury has awarded more than $287,000 in a religious discrimination suit against Alamo Car Rental brought by U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The EEOC had charged Alamo committed post-9/11 backlash discrimination based on religion when it fired a Somali customer sales representative in December 2001 for refusing to

Commission Considers Enforcement Guidance on Emerging Legal Issues

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) examined perspectives on work/family balance and the intersection with the federal anti-discrimination laws today at a public meeting, as the agency considers developing enforcement guidance on the topic.

EEOC Vice Chair Leslie E. Silverman, one of the organizers of the meeting, highlighted the  "maternal wall" that may act as a barrier to the

Panel of Experts to Address Pregnancy Discrimination, Caregivers in the Workplace

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public Commission Meeting to examine perspectives on work/family balance issues and the federal anti-discrimination laws on Tuesday, April 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Eastern Time), at agency headquarters, 1801 L Street, N.W. (Ninth Floor, Commission Meeting Room).

During the meeting, the Commission will hear from invited expert panelists offering a

Federal Judge Cites Involvement of Top Management in Permitting Harassment and in Retaliating Against Victims

CHICAGO – A federal district judge this morning entered final judgment in an amount exceeding $1.1 million in favor of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and against Custom Companies, a Northlake, Ill., trucking company in a sexual harassment case brought by the agency under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In a 50-page Memorandum

EEOC Says Pharmacy Giant Makes Store Assignments and Denies Promotions Based on Race; Thousands of African American Managers and Professionals May Be Affected

ST. LOUIS – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today filed an employment discrimination class lawsuit against Walgreen Company, the Illinois-based national drugstore chain, alleging widespread racial bias against thousands of African American workers.

The EEOC charges in the suit that Walgreens

Eighth Circuit Says Lower Court Erred in Dismissing Case

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit today ruled that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may continue its disability discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (EEOC v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Case No. 06-1583), reversing a lower court’s dismissal of the case.

The EEOC filed suit against Wal-Mart in January 2004 on behalf of Steve Bradley

Race and Sex Discrimination, Retaliation Most Frequently Filed Cases

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) last year received a total of 75,768 discrimination charges against private sector employers, the first increase in charge filings since 2002, the federal agency reported today as part of its Fiscal Year 2006 data.

The year-end statistics, available online at http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/enforcement.html, show that charges based on race (27,238), sex (23,247), and retaliation (22,555)

Fortune 500 Company Subjected African Americans to Nooses, Threats, Nazi and KKK Messages, Agency Charged

PITTSBURGH C  AK Steel Corporation will pay $600,000 to settle a racial harassment lawsuit  brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency  announced today. The EEOC had charged that  the Fortune 500 company violated federal law at its Butler, Pa.,  facility by creating and condoning a racially hostile work environ­ment for a  group of African American

Motherhood Maternity Refused to Hire Pregnant Applicants and Fired Assistant Manager for Complaining, Agency Charged

MIAMI – A Philadelphia-based maternity clothes retailer will pay $375,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The EEOC had charged that Mothers Work, Inc., doing business as Motherhood Maternity, refused to hire qualified female applicants because they were pregnant. 

According

CHICAGO – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (Chase) today announced the $2.2 million settlement of a claim brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) against Bank One Corporation.

The EEOC issued an administrative determination on March 11, 2004, finding that there was reasonable cause to believe that Bank One violated the ADA by failing to properly accommodate a group of employees who were medically released to return