Is it gender discrimination if you hire mostly male workers to work in a warehouse?
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seems to think so. According to the EEOC, excluding women from certain positions is a violation of Title CVII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, was being accused of violating equal opportunity rights at its London, Kentucky warehouse, a sex-discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC lawsuit alleged.
According to a press release from the EEOC: “Walmart Stores will pay $11.7 million in back wages and compensatory damages, its share of employer taxes, and up to $250,000 in administration fees and will furnish other relief, including jobs, to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).”
The decree settling the suit was entered on March 1 and by decree, Wal-Mart must provide order-filler jobs to eligible women, as the jobs become available, in a systematic way. Furthermore, the decree places an impetus on Wal-Mart not to retaliate against any employee or applicant who complains of discrimination. Wal-Mart will also train its employees and managers at the Kentucky facility, as well as submit reports to the EEOC showing its compliance with the court orders.
Related Resources:
- Wal-Mart to pay $11.7 million in EEOC gender bias suit (Reuters)
- EEOC Press Release (EEOC)
- Gender Discrimination (FindLaw’s Employment Center)
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