The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency in charge of enforcing and interpreting workplace discrimination laws, has a new, aggressive stance toward employers. The agency is attempting to initiate class actions against large employers and soliciting victims to contact them directly if they believe they have been subject to discrimination.
Here are three typical pleas from their website:
Texas Roadhouse Litigation
“The EEOC has sued the Texas Roadhouse chain of restaurants, claiming that Texas Roadhouse did not hire people age 40 and older because of their age.
If you believe you may have been denied a front-of-the-house position such as server, hostess/host, bartender, etc. at Texas Roadhouse because of your age or if you have any information, please contact the EEOC.”
Bass Pro Litigation
“The EEOC has sued Bass Pro Outdoor World, claiming that it did not hire people because of their race (African-American or black) or national origin (Hispanic or Latino) and that Bass Pro retaliated against employees who complained about discrimination. If you applied for a job at any Bass Pro location and think you may not have been hired due to your race or national origin or if you have any information, please contact the EEOC.
Mavis Discount Tire Litigation
“The EEOC has sued Mavis Discount Tire, claiming that Mavis did not hire women as Managers, Assistant Managers, Mechanics, Tire Installers, and similar jobs because of their sex. The agency says the company systematically rejected all women applicants. If you applied for a job at any Mavis Discount Tire or Cole Muffler location and think you may not have been hired because you are a woman, or you have any information, please contact the EEOC.
All employers should beware: the EEOC is on the march, looking for systemic discrimination. (“Systemic discrimination” means situations in which the process or practice discriminates against significant numbers of applicants or employees, as opposed to a discrimination case involving only a single employee.)
Protecting against these types of claims and the incredible cost to defend these allegations is a risk management and loss control consideration all employers must have. All of the companies listed above are of the size and nature that would have the policies and training in place to prevent workplace discrimination. When these loss control measures are not enough, what can a company do to protect against serious financial harm?
Employment Practices Liability Insurance provides defense and payment of damages for discrimination claims. Not all policies are created equal and finding the policy that meets your particular needs requires a professional who understands employment practices claims and the insurance policies that protect against these damages.
We have the expertise in these areas to help employers avoid financial ruin from baseless discrimination lawsuits. On staff is an employment law attorney who has litigated employment law claims across the United States. We can help you prepare a bulkhead against potential discrimination claims. Contact our office today and ask for Neil Robertson to learn more about how you can protect your business.