NEWS & ANALYSIS


Tire Co. Settles EEOC Discrimination Probe For $65K

By Benjamin Morse

An Arizona tire shop has agreed to pay $64,500 after a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation found that it violated disability bias law by maintaining a return-to-work policy that didn't give workers a chance to ask for accommodations. 

Drug Treatment Center Resolves EEOC Disability Bias Probe

By Patrick Hoff

An opioid and substance use disorder treatment center will pay $55,000 after a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigation found it fired a California-based counselor for requesting accommodations when he returned from medical leave, the commission said Wednesday.

Va. Medical Center, EEOC Resolve Age Bias Suit Over Leave

By Patrick Hoff

A Virginia surgical clinic has agreed to pay $50,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it fired a 52-year-old radiology technician who asked to extend her medical leave so she could recover from carpal tunnel surgery, according to a federal court filing.

Furniture Chain Reaches $1.5M Deal In EEOC Hiring Bias Suit

By Grace Elletson

A furniture chain has agreed to pay $1.5 million to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit in Florida federal court claiming it wouldn't hire women for delivery and warehouse roles out of gender bias.

Pizza Hut Franchisee Fired Harassment Victim, EEOC Says

By Grace Elletson

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission slapped a Pizza Hut franchisee with a suit in Texas federal court, claiming it fired a manager because she complained that her boss began sabotaging her success after she called off her relationship with him.

Chemical Co. Cleared In EEOC Race Harassment Suit

By Vin Gurrieri

A Missouri federal jury has sided with a chemical company in a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it failed to prevent a Black employee from being harassed and called the N-word by a coworker.

Mortgage Co. Can't Dodge EEOC Disability Bias Suit

By Grace Elletson

A Washington federal judge declined Wednesday to toss a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming a mortgage and financial services company wouldn't hire a woman because of pain medication she took to treat her disability, stating a jury needs to iron out fact issues in the case.

Kroger Unit Can't Dodge EEOC Suit Over Clerk's Harassment

By Patrick Hoff

Supermarket chain Fred Meyer must face a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it allowed a male sales clerk to leer at and stalk female colleagues, a Washington federal judge said Wednesday, rejecting the superstore chain's argument that the commission's complaint wasn't detailed enough.

Staffing Co., EEOC Ink $300K Deal In Hiring Bias Suit

By Benjamin Morse

A construction staffing company in Minnesota will pay $300,000 to end a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit alleging it wouldn't find work for women, Black people or older people and prompted a worker who complained about it to resign, according to a federal court filing Tuesday. 

Delivery Co. Strikes Deal To End EEOC Disability Bias Suit

By Grace Elletson

A delivery contractor agreed to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming the business violated disability bias law when it fired an employee after he suffered a flare-up of his autoimmune disease, according to a Georgia federal court filing.

EEOC Accuses Staffing Cos. Of Disability Bias Against Welder

By Gina Kim

Two staffing companies were hit with a lawsuit Monday in Georgia federal court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly rescinding a welding job offer at a sawmill to an applicant based on a prior knee injury, despite the applicant being capable of performing the job duties.

Ride Hailing Co. Refused To Hire Deaf Drivers, EEOC Says

By Patrick Hoff

A Dallas-based luxury ride-hailing company refused to hire deaf and hard-of-hearing drivers and tried to push them into car-washing positions instead, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told a Virginia federal court.

Aluminum Co. Asks 7th Circ. To Toss HR Worker's Bias Suit

By Grace Elletson

A Wisconsin aluminum company urged the Seventh Circuit to uphold the dismissal of a human resource manager's suit claiming she was fired out of sex bias and for investigating a sexual harassment complaint, arguing that her repeated performance issues are what really got her canned.

EEOC, Financial Co. Strike Deal In Pandemic Telework Suit

By Patrick Hoff

A Georgia payments company agreed to pay $65,000 and adopt new workplace policies to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it refused to let a diabetic employee work remotely during the pandemic, according to a federal court filing.

Chemical Co. Can't Completely Sink EEOC Racial Slur Suit

By Patrick Hoff

A chemical company must face a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it failed to stop a Hispanic employee from using racist slurs, with a Missouri federal judge ruling jurors could find a single confrontation with a Black co-worker was extreme enough to support the case.

Debt Co. Ends EEOC Religious Bias Suit Revived By 3rd Circ.

By Patrick Hoff

A debt collection company will pay $60,000 to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit claiming a call center worker was forced out for taking time off to practice Judaism, wrapping up a case that the Third Circuit revived in February.

EEOC Says Restaurant Allowed Misgendering Of Trans Worker

By Patrick Hoff

A Michigan fast food franchisee failed to stop workers from misgendering a transgender employee and fired several people who spoke up against the harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a suit filed Friday.

EEOC Reaches Deal With Rehab Center In Nurse's Bias Suit

By Amanda Ottaway

A rehabilitation and assisted living facility has reached a deal with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to end a disability discrimination lawsuit by a nurse with a sleep disorder who the agency said was unlawfully fired, according to a filing in Texas federal court.

Sports Gear Co. Hit With EEOC Age Bias, Retaliation Suit

By Benjamin Morse

A sports gear company fired a worker after she complained about an organizational restructuring that favored younger workers with less experience than older workers, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged in Colorado federal court.

Auto Co. Inks Deal With EEOC To Settle Sex Harassment Suit

By Grace Elletson

An automotive services company has agreed to pay $80,000 to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission suit in Michigan federal court claiming it failed to step in when a female worker complained that a male supervisor repeatedly propositioned her for sex.