North Texas federal contractor agrees to pay $121K to resolve alleged hiring discrimination
LEWISVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A federal contractor has agreed to resolve allegations of hiring discrimination, accepting terms that include paying $121,000 in back wages to 798 female and Black job applicants at the company's North Texas warehouse.
A Department of Labor routine compliance evaluation found that between Nov. 20, 2017 and Dec. 7, 2019, Sysco North Texas Inc. allegedly discriminated against 135 female applicants and 663 Black male applicants while hiring for certain positions.
Federal law prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
As part of the conciliation agreement, Sysco Central Texas will pay $121,000 in back wage to the affected applicants and extend job opportunities to six women and five Black men not selected for the positions. It will also provide training to employees involved making hiring decisions and will review and revise its recruitment processes.
"No person should be rejected when they apply for a job because of their gender or their race," said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Southwest Regional Director Melissa Speer in Dallas. "The U.S. Department of Labor and Sysco North Texas worked together to resolve these matters and to prevent similar discrimination issues from happening again."
At the time of the evaluation period, Sysco North Texas had contracts with the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior's bureaus of Indian Affairs and Indian Education.
Sysco North Texas is a subsidiary of Houston-based Sysco Corp. Another one of the company's subsidiaries, New Braunfels-based Sysco Central Texas, also agreed to terms resolving allegations of hiring discrimination against 180 women and 190 Black men.
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program's Class Member Locator identifies applicants or workers who may be entitled to monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement due to compliance evaluations and complaint investigations.
If you think you might be a class member employed by Sysco, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' Class Member Locator identifies applicants or workers who may be entitled to monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement because of compliance evaluations and complaint investigations.
