The US Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced that it will sue Brunswick Corp and Lund Boat Co., both federal contractors, for discriminating against over 200 women job applicants. OFCCP claims that the federal contractors violated Executive Order 11246 “by failing to meet its obligations as a federal contractor to ensure that qualified job applicants receive equal consideration for employment without regard to their sex, race, color, religion, or national origin.”
Solicitor of Labor Patricia Smith stated, “Representatives from Lund have argued that women were less likely to be hired than men because of a preference for workers with manufacturing experience. However, OFCCP’s investigation found that even women with this type of experience were less likely to be hired than men without it. That’s not fair. It’s not right. And it’s against the law.”
OFCCP is requesting that Lund and Brunswick compensate the women who were denied employment by paying them for lost wages, interest, and benefits. In addition, OFCCP is requesting that the companies offer jobs to 27 of the 200 women who faced the discrimination.
Department of Labor Statement 12/1/11; Feminist Daily Newswire 11/18/11
