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AUSTIN, Texas – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  (EEOC) announced today that it has filed a workplace discrimination lawsuit against  Austin Foam Plastics, Inc., a pro­ducer and distributor of corrugated box and cushion packaging. The EEOC charged the company with  racial harassment, sexual harassment and unlawful retaliation.

According to the EEOC’s suit, Civil  Action Number A-09-CA-180-LY, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western  District of Texas, Austin

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

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

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 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

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