PRESS RELEASE
9-22-11
EEOC Brings Class Lawsuit Against New Prime Trucking for Sex Discrimination
Agency Charges Truck Driver Training Program Discriminates Against WomenSPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- New Prime, Inc., one the nations largest trucking companies, violated federal law by discriminating against female truck driver applicants when it required that they be trained by female trainers only, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.
According to the EEOCs suit, this policy resulted in qualified female applicants being placed on a waiting list due to a lack of female trainers, thus delaying or denying them employment, while New Prime provided training for male applicants without similar delay. The EEOC specifically charged that New Primes policy discriminated against Deanne Roberts, who filed an EEOC charge in 2009, and all similarly situated female truck driver applicants from 2003 to the present. The EEOC anticipates that New Prime will contend that it established this policy to reduce claims of sexual harassment of female trainees.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex discrimination in hiring and terms and conditions of employment. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri (EEOC v. New Prime, Inc., Case No. 6:11-cv-03367) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC seeks an end to the discriminatory policy as well as back pay and other damages for the women adversely affected by this policy a class of at least around 100 women, the EEOC believes.
Employers cannot avoid their responsibility to provide a workplace without sexual harassment simply by placing roadblocks in the path of qualified female applicants, said Barbara A. Seely, regional attorney for the EEOC's St. Louis District Office. Instead of proactively training and monitoring male truck drivers to avoid sexual harassment, the company put in place a discriminatory procedure that effectively deprived women of the opportunity to work as truck drivers.
According to company information, New Prime, based in Springfield, Mo., is one of the nations largest refrigerated, flatbed and tanker carriers and employs over 2,000 persons. It provides truck freight services to a customer base in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.
The above press release was published by the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on its website.
Paul Taylor
Attorney
EEOC Brings Class Action Against Prime for Sex Discrimination
Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by truckersjustice, Sep 24, 2011.
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I'd have thought that women would be more comfortable sharing a 7x10 space with another woman rather than a unknown male. I guess they pissed off some raging lesbian. There will be other training companies watching this, but I see that the EEOC have it wrong and if they win this less women will come to this industry. When I was went thru training the women in the class wanted women trainers rather than a 345lb horny truck driver from Ohio with hygene issues, go figure.
"345lb horny truck driver from Ohio with hygene issues" A ficticious character used to provide a comparison. -
EEOC alleges that they also had an insufficient number of female trainers resulting in discrimination against women driver trainees as a class which violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
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that is the most ridiculous thing i ever heard of. if they did not have that policy in place they would most likely be facing lawsuits for not doing enough to protect their female employees. this is just another example of ridiculous liberal government. the company is required to provide a safe work environment and is then punished for doing so
wannaBTrucker, bigblue19, Tazz and 7 others Thank this. -
Correct, couldn't agree more. Federal government getting in the way again. -
Maybe she's looking for a 345lb horny truck driver from Ohio with hygene issues?
Traveler51, Dryver and Kevin83165 Thank this. -
What male trainer, in his right mind, wants to jepordize his career, his family, his reputation, by training a female student, who, when required to complete additional training due to his judgement call for the safety of the public, turns and files a discrimination suit against him and the company?
Or sexual harrassment suit?
Harrassment suits and complaints can be a career ender.
I have seen this happend to good qualified trainers.
That's why I refuse to train females.
Just not worth the risk.Dryver, cowboy_tech, Wiseguywireless and 7 others Thank this. -
You can see that at every Flying J.mtnMoma Thanks this. -
Not to mention a $$ grabbing lawyer too. This the 2nd time recently he's got a case against prime, but this one seems frivolous along with the eeoc.
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What would you think of Prime adding some more female trainers so that women trainees are not excluded from the workforce?
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