BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — One of the nation's largest poultry suppliers has agreed to settle a class employment discrimination lawsuit filed by the federal government for $3.75 million, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The settlement resolves EEOC allegations that Koch Foods subjected Hispanic employees and female employees to a hostile work environment. The allegations include supervisors touching and making sexually suggestive comments to Hispanic female employees and hitting Hispanic employees and charging them money for everyday work activities. After complaining about the harassment, the EEOC alleges the employees were then fired and subjected to other forms of punishment in retaliation.
"We take allegations of abuse seriously," EEOC Birmingham District Office director Bradley Anderson said in a statement. "No one working in America deserves to be harassed in the workplace and, as evidenced in this lawsuit, the EEOC will engage in vigorous law enforcement efforts to protect workers."
In addition to the monetary relief, the three-year consent decree also requires Koch to implement a 24-hour discrimination complaint hotline in both English and Spanish as well as create new discrimination prevention policies and practices.