TheTrucker.com

Trucking company accused of subjecting women to sex-based discrimination in hiring

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Trucking company accused of subjecting women to sex-based discrimination in hiring
After first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process, The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed its lawsuit (EEOC v. Gypsum Express, Ltd., Case No. 2:22-cv-00119) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Covington Division.

INDIANAPOLIS — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced Friday, Sept. 30, that it has filed suit against Gypsum Express Ltd., headquartered in Baldwinsville, New York, for sex discrimination in hiring, as well as retaliation and constructive discharge involving two former recruiters.

Gypsum Express provides truck-transportation services and currently has terminals in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina and Illinois.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged that, since at least 2014, Gypsum Express has engaged in a nationwide pattern or practice of hiring discrimination against female applicants for flatbed driver positions because of sex, including having a formal same-sex trainer/trainee policy for a period of time. The EEOC alleges the policy precluded recruiters from hiring inexperienced female applicants for driver positions because Gypsum Express “did not employ any female trainers and was unwilling to pair female trainees with male trainers.”

The EEOC further alleged that hiring officials, other management and supervisory employees, human resources personnel, and recruiters expressly stated sex-based criteria for flatbed driver positions.

The EEOC also charged that Gypsum Express subjected a former recruiter to retaliatory discharge for opposing the trucking company’s discriminatory hiring practices and forced another recruiter to engage in discriminatory hiring practices, which “adversely affected her terms, conditions or privileges of employment, forcing her to quit.”

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits, among other things, using sex-based criteria in employment and retaliation against employees who oppose sex discrimination.

After first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process, the EEOC filed its lawsuit (EEOC v. Gypsum Express, Ltd., Case No. 2:22-cv-00119) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Covington Division.

The agency seeks lost wages, pecuniary and non-pecuniary compensatory damages, along with punitive damages, as well as a permanent injunction and ongoing reporting and monitoring procedures to ensure that Gypsum Express complies with the law in the future.

“This case demonstrates the EEOC’s ongoing commitment to remedying class-wide sex discrimination and eliminating barriers in recruitment and hiring,” Kenneth Bird, regional attorney of the EEOC’s Indianapolis District Office, said. “Hiring must be based on the individual’s ability to do the job, regardless of sex.”

Michelle Eisele, director of the EEOC’s Indianapolis District Office, said, “Retaliation against employees who oppose discrimination they observe in the workplace cannot be tolerated. The EEOC is committed to seeking relief for workers who speak up against their employer’s discriminatory conduct.”

For more information on sex-based discrimination, visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.

The case is being litigated by the Louisville Area Office, which is part of the EEOC’s Indianapolis District, with jurisdiction over Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and parts of Ohio.

 

The Trucker News Staff

The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Avatar for The Trucker News Staff
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
For over 30 years, the objective of The Trucker editorial team has been to produce content focused on truck drivers that is relevant, objective and engaging. After reading this article, feel free to leave a comment about this article or the topics covered in this article for the author or the other readers to enjoy. Let them know what you think! We always enjoy hearing from our readers.

COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE