South Dakota Cheese Company Settles Discrimination Charge

December 21, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

A South Dakota cheese making company has agreed to pay $85,000 to settle a sex discrimination charge.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says Milbank-based Valley Queen Cheese Factory has agreed to pay the settlement to two female applicants rejected for the position of milk hauler.

The EEOC says the company refused to hire the women for the milk hauler positions and had a history of staffing the position exclusively with men.

In addition to the settlement, the company agreed to provide anti-discrimination training to all employees and expand its recruiting.

Valley Queen Cheese Factory denies that it discriminated against women. The company says rather than fight through litigation, it decided it was best to settle the charges.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Midwest NewsTopics: settlement, sex discrimination charge, South Dakota, Valley Queen Cheese Factory, workplace biasHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Missouri House Panel Mulls Bill on Work Discrimination Lawsuits

February 13, 2013Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Republicans are hoping the third time is a charm for a measure a Missouri House committee considered that would make it harder for employees to win lawsuits alleging workplace discrimination.

Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed similar legislation each of the last two years. But with a veto-proof Republican majority in both legislative chambers, the bill could have a different fate this year.

The measure sponsored by Rep. Kevin Elmer would require workers who file suit over an employer’s action to prove that discrimination was a

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Colorado Hotel Owner Settles Discrimination Suit

October 4, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

A Hampton Inn & Suites franchise in Colorado has agreed to pay $85,000 in back pay and compensatory damages to non-Hispanic employees who alleged they were fired because the owners believed non-Hispanics are lazy.

The franchise in Craig is owned by Rawlins, Wyo.-based Century Shree Corp. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleged the company fired at least three Caucasian housekeeping and laundry workers and replaced them with Latino workers, believing Hispanics work harder.

Century Shree’s lawyer Tim Kingston said Tuesday the alleged discrimination was by one “rogue” employee who has been discharged and that the owners deny wrongdoing.

The company has agreed to offer the fired workers reinstatement to their jobs, and the owners, managers and supervisors of the company will undergo training on federal anti-discrimination laws.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: West NewsTopics: Colorado, damages, discrimination, lawsuit, settlementHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Man Sues Nebraska Claiming Gender Discrimination

September 21, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

A federal court in Nebraska will take up a lawsuit that accuses the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services of allowing a supervisor to demean and discriminate against men in her department.

The lawsuit, filed last year by Mike Hoover against the state and two Administrative Services officials, was moved to Nebraska’s federal court.

Hoover, now of Dallas, says in the lawsuit that while he was employed in the department from March 2007 to February 2010, his supervisor, Amy Archuleta, discriminated against him and other male employees. The discrimination included obscene references made by Archuleta to men in her department and derogatory remarks about how

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WSU To Pay $650K To Settle Discrimination Lawsuit

June 7, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Washington State University has agreed to pay $650,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by two former employees of Chinese descent.

The settlement will pay $325,000 each to Dr. Ying Li and her husband, Lizhong Yang. It also calls on the Pullman, Wash., school to enact policies to prevent future discrimination.

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Wisconsin Governor Signs Bill Erasing Workplace Discrimination Damages

April 9, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has signed a bill that prohibits workers from collecting damages in employment discrimination cases.

The legislation eliminates compensatory and punitive damages for acts of employment discrimination or unfair honesty, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). The bill repeals 2009’s Act 20, which for the first time imposed punitive and compensatory damages under Wisconsin’s employment discrimination law.

Under current state law, employees who prevail in discrimination lawsuits can collect between $50,000 and $300,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. The Republican bill blocks anyone from collecting such damages in employment discrimination suits.

The state Department of Workforce Development could still award an employee back pay, costs and attorney fees, however.

Democrats say the bill hurts women who might suffer discrimination in the workplace.

Walker signed the bill on April 4 but announced the signing on April 5. His spokesman says it was easier to include the announcement in a broader release noting the governor signed dozens of bills over the two days.

 

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: Midwest NewsTopics: damages, legislation, tort reform, Wisconsin, workplace discriminationHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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