EEOC v. Vamco Sheet Metals

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Date: 

October 28, 2014
Legal Momentum joined this sexual harassment suit with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Summary of the Case

[Excerpted from the 10/29/14 EEOC Press Release]

The lawsuit challenged the treatment of female sheet metal workers on the massive John Jay College of Criminal Justice expansion in Manhattan from 2009 through 2011. According to the lawsuit, female sheet metal workers were fired for pretextual reasons, some after just a few days of work. The suit also alleged that the women were treated unfavorably compared to men, including being assigned menial tasks like fetching coffee and having their breaks monitored. One new mother was denied a clean private place to pump breast milk. Sex discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

In addition to the $215,000 in damages to be paid to the discrimination victims, the three-year consent decree resolving the case requires Vamco to implement policy revisions that provide for equal opportunities, distribute the policy to all employees, and post notice of this resolution. The decree also requires annual anti-discrimination training for all supervisory employees and monitoring of Vamco's employment practices by the EEOC.

"These women had decades of experience as skilled sheet metal workers," said EEOC New York Regional Attorney Robert D. Rose. "Employers, even in male-dominated industries like construction, must provide women an equal chance to prove their skills and practice their trade."

Decision

The case was settled. This Consent Decree is part of the settlement of a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which Legal Momentum joined on behalf of four discrimination victims.

 

  • Workplace Equality and Economic Empowerment

Author(s): 

Jelena Kolic

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