California-Based Firm Refused to Refer Women For Jobs in Tennessee, Federal Agency Charges
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A California-based private employment and recruiting agency, Industrial Labor Management Group, Inc. (ILM), violated federal law by refusing to refer or place qualified female applicants for employment because of their gender, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the EEOC's suit, ILM provided temporary workers for laborer and warehouse positions to a Shelbyville, Tenn., client, Manuli Stretch, a film manufacturer. In response to an advertisement seeking employees to work at Manuli Stretch, Sherry Brewer and other female applicants submitted online resumes and interviewed with an ILM representative. When Brewer later called the ILM office to follow up on her resume and interview, ILM informed her that the position with Manuli Stretch was only for men. Despite having qualified female applicants, ILM never referred any female applicants for employment at Manuli Stretch. Instead, the EEOC said, it only referred male applicants, some of whom did not meet the stated job qualifications.
Gender-based discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit, Civil Action No., 3:13-cv-01060, in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The suit seeks monetary relief in the form of back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, hiring relief and an injunction against future discrimination.
"Employers simply cannot refuse to hire or refer applicants based upon their gender," said Katharine Kores, district director of the EEOC's Memphis District Office. "Applicants should be evaluated based solely upon their job-related qualifications."
According to its website, www.theilmgroup.com, ILM Group caters to organizations in diverse industries providing candidates for administrative, manufacturing, logistics/warehouse and transportation positions.
Eliminating barriers in recruitment and hiring, especially class-based recruitment and hiring practices that discriminate against racial, ethnic and religious groups, older workers, women and people with disabilities, is one of six national priorities identified by the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan.
The EEOC's Memphis District Office is responsible for processing discrimination charges, administrative enforcement and conducts agency litigation in Arkansas, Tennessee and portions of Mississippi.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.