Alabama food processing plant to pay $60,000 to settle pregnancy discrimination lawsuit

Keystone Foods has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of a former employee at the company’s Eufaula food processing plant.

The suit stemmed from a job fair where 17 former employees were extended job offers.

But one female former employee had the offer retracted after the company learned through a records review that she had previously filed a complaint of pregnancy discrimination, and an EEOC charge, against Keystone.

EEOC Birmingham District Director Bradley Anderson said retaliation claims account for more than 56% of the charges filed with the EEOC.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects pregnant workers from employment discrimination and bars employers from retaliating against employees who report pregnancy discrimination or file an EEOC charge against their employer.

Marsha Rucker, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Birmingham District, said even former employees are protected under anti-retaliation provisions and that “blacklisting” former employees who exercise their right to file a charge of discrimination is illegal.

A two-year consent decree prohibits Keystone from discriminating and retaliating against employees. Keystone will also issue a written statement to all employees at its Eufaula facility, stating it will not retaliate against employees or job applicants who engage in protected activity.

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