EEOC and Resourceful Environmental Services Agree to Conciliate Sexual Orientation Charge

TUPELO, Miss. – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Resourceful Environmental Services, headquartered in Ripley, Mississippi, reached a voluntary conciliation agreement to resolve a charge of discrimination filed by a former employee alleging a hostile work environment based on the employee’s sexual orientation, the federal agency announced today.

The EEOC determined that Resourceful Environmental Services subjected a male employee to a hostile work environment based upon his sexual orientation and stopped returning him to work because of his sexual orientation. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Resourceful Environmental Services denied liability.

Resourceful Environmental Services has agreed to pay $34,781.50 to the employee affected by the discriminatory action. In addition to the monetary compensation, Resourceful Environmental Services agreed to provide mandatory annual training about a hostile work environment based on sexual orientation under Title VII to all supervisors and employees, and agreed to educate its employees on the Supreme Court’s decision recognizing sexual orientation discrimination as illegal sex discrimination under federal law. Further, Resourceful Environmental Services agreed it would not subject employees to a hostile work environment or refuse to call employees to work because of their sexual orientation; and not to retaliate.

"We commend Resourceful Environmental Services for moving quickly to address this matter short of litigation and their willingness to conduct training to ensure that this conduct does not recur," said Edmond Sims, acting district director of EEOC’s Memphis District Office. "We encourage all employers to review and update their anti-discrimination policies and practices to ensure that their staff knows that Title VII covers sexual orientation discrimination."

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.