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Commission Obtains $376 Million for Victims of Discrimination

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that workplace discrimination charge filings with the federal agency nationwide soared to an unprecedented level of 95,402 during Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, which ended Sept. 30.  This level is a 15 percent increase from the previous fiscal year.  The FY 2008 enforcement and litigation statistics, which include trend data, are available online at http://www.eeoc.gov/stats/enforcement.html.

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Federal Agency Charged Company Fired Welder After Disability Bias Complaint

CLEVELAND –A Lordstown, Ohio-based automotive parts company will pay $27,500 and furnish remedial relief to settle a retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC, welder Eugene Vallozzi had an excellent work record at Faurecia Exhaust Systems for two years prior to March 2006, when the company learned

PHOENIX -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that Wheeler Construction, Inc., a Phoenix-based construction company, has agreed to settle a national origin harassment lawsuit for $325,000 and other relief on behalf of Mexican workers.

The EEOC's complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona charged that employees Leonard Lopez and Juan Campos were subjected to harassment based on their national origin (Mexican) and

Oil Contractor Fired Woman for Complaining About Sexual Harassment and Unequal Treatment, Federal Agency Charged

NEW ORLEANS – Basic Energy Services, L.P. has agreed to pay $250,000 and consented to substantial injunctive relief to settle a sex discrimination and retaliation suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The EEOC charged in its suit that the Midland, Texas-based company, a major oil well servicing contractor, had

EEOC Said 18-Year-Old Employee Sexually Harassed by General Manager

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Burger King Corporation will pay $85,000 and furnish significant non-monetary relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The EEOC had charged that a female employee of the Clemmons, N.C., Burger King was subjected to a sexually hostile work environment when she was 18-years-old. 

The EEOC charged in

Company Subjected Class of Women to Sexual Harassment and Then Fired Them After They Complained, Agency Charged

BALTIMORE – A Maryland athletic club will pay $161,000 and  furnish other substantial relief to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by  the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced  today.

According to EEOC’s suit,  (1:08:00518-CCB, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland,  Northern Division), BVP, LLC

Agency Says Manager Harassed and Fired Because of His Age

CLEVELAND – Ashland, Inc., an international chemical giant, and its subsidiary Valvoline, violated federal law when it fired a 52-year-old manager because of his age, according to a lawsuit filed today by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Michael Roach began working for Ashland in 1989, and most recently held the position of service

Defendant Autozone Denied Leave to Contend That EEOC 'Estopped' by Individual Proceedings Before SSA

CHICAGO – A federal court in Peoria, Ill., decided today that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) could not be blocked from continuing its pursuit of relief on behalf of a disabled sales manager employee of Autozone, Inc. because the employee had applied for and obtained Social Security disability benefits.

Autozone, one of the nation's largest retailers of auto parts

Flight School Fired Female Instructor for Complaining About Gender Bias, Federal Agency Charged

TULSA, Okla. – Spartan Aeronautics College will pay $32,500 to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (Case No. 707-cv-00544 ), the EEOC charged that the college's management treated

Trash Removal Company Hired Less Qualified Males, EEOC Charged

ATLANTA – Robertson Sanitation, a Phoenix-based trash hauling, recycling and disposal company that operates in Georgia, will pay $475,000 to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC's suit, Jeanine Moore applied for a truck driver position with Robertson at its Winder, Ga., facility in August 2005. 

'Stranger Than Fiction' Production Companies to Pay $75,000 to Pregnant Job Applicant

CHICAGO – Crick Pictures, L.L.C., and Mandate Pictures, L.L.C., will pay $75,000 to settle a federal pregnancy discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  The EEOC's suit had charged that movie production companies Crick and Mandate refused to hire a pregnant job applicant, Cynthia Castillo-Hill, for a position as an extras casting assistant

African American Greeter Targeted With Racial Slurs and Fired Due to Race, Federal Agency Charged

NEW YORK -- J.C. Penney Corporation, Inc. will pay $50,000 to settle a race discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

The EEOC had charged that J.C. Penney discriminated against Reinell Singh, an African American who worked as a greeter welcoming customers into

Company Will Pay Additional Amount to Settle Retaliation Claim

MILWAUKEE – Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC will pay more than $75,000 to settle sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuits brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and former GP-Gypsum employee Tina Hammer, the EEOC announced today. 

The EEOC had alleged that GP-Gypsum violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by permitting

EEOC Said Car Dealership Fired Service Advisor for Complaining

PHILADELPHIA - Murphy Ford Inc., doing business as Murphy Ford Lincoln Mercury Murphy Ford Inc., a car dealership located in Chester, Pa., will pay $244,000 to settle a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), announced today.  The EEOC had charged that Murphy Ford sexually harassed three female employees and fired one woman for complaining about the unlawful harassment.

EEOC Says Car Dealership Refused to Hire a Salesperson Due to Perceived Mental Disability

HONOLULU – Valley Isle Motors, Ltd., a car dealership in Maui, unlawfully discriminated against an employee by failing to hire him for a salesperson position because of a perceived mental disability, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

The EEOC charged in its suit, (EEOC

Seventh Circuit Says Attempted Withdrawal of Charge of Discrimination  'Does Not Diminish Agency's Authority to Investigate'

CHICAGO  — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in a decision by Chief  Judge Frank H. Easterbrook, Friday ordered a District Court to enforce a  subpoena issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commis­sion (EEOC).  The court ruled that the EEOC had the authority to refuse to allow an  individual to withdraw a charge of

Trucking Company Refused Class of Women Driver and Dockworker Jobs, Federal Agency Charged

CLEVELAND – An interstate trucking firm has agreed to pay $2.43 million and provide other remedial relief to a class of women to settle a major sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. 

The EEOC had charged in the litigation that Pitt Ohio Express Inc. denied a class of qualified female applicants

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

EEOC Settles Suit for Discrimination Based on Religion and National Origin

NEW YORK – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that Merrill Lynch, the international financial services firm, has agreed to pay $1,550,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act on behalf of an Iranian Muslim former worker who was fired due to his religion and national origin.

The EEOC's lawsuit, in the U.S. District Court

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.

EEOC Says Three Women Subjected to Vulgar Sexual Comments, Unwanted Touching, Propositioning

SEATTLE – Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. (Fred Meyer) will  pay $485,000 to three female victims of sexual harassment and retaliation to  settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  (EEOC), the EEOC announced today.

According to the EEOC’s suit (EEOC, et. al. v. Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. No. CV08-0208 HA, United States District Court of Oregon), the company’s

Company Refused to Hire Men into Weight Loss Counselor and Other Jobs, Agency Alleged

BALTIMORE – The U.S. Equal  Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that it has resolved  its pattern or practice sex discrimination lawsuit against LA Weight Loss  Centers, Inc., (renamed Pure Weight Loss, Inc., in early 2007), for $20 million  and other significant relief.

According to the EEOC’s suit (WDQ-02-CV-648), filed in  the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Prayer Breaks Sought by Muslim Employees to be Instituted; Total of $365,000 to be Paid in Two Cases

MINNEAPOLIS – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that a federal district court in St. Paul, Minn., recently approved consent decrees that settle two religious discrimination lawsuits against a leading St. Cloud, Minn.-based chicken processor, Gold'n Plump Poultry, Inc., and an employment agency, The Work Connection, which referred workers to it.

Federal Agency Says Prep School Fired Employee for Protesting Unequal Pay for Women

CLEVELAND – The U.S. Equal  Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced that a jury here has  returned a unanimous verdict against Lake  Ridge Academy  finding that an employee who voiced concern about unequal pay for women was unlawfully  fired in retaliation.

The jury  reached its unanimous verdict in the EEOC lawsuit after hearing testimony which  proved that James Whiteman was fired