Discrimination Actions Lead to $45,000 Settlement at Container Manufacturer

The largest manufacturer of metal food containers in North America, Silgan Containers Manufacturing Corp., will pay $45,000 to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced.

The EEOC filed the lawsuit against Silgan on behalf of an African-American man who suffered alleged discriminatory treatment  resulted in his termination from Silgan’s Oconomowoc, Wis., facility. In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged Silgan violated federal civil rights law by intentionally delaying the hiring of the man and then firing him because of his race. (WCxKitz)

According to the EEOC, after the man was finally hired, his immediate supervisor – who no longer works for Silgan – subjected Henderson to disparate and discriminatory treatment such as holding him to a higher standard on his work than non-black employees. Finally, the EEOC charged, Silgan fired the employee for racial reasons after less than one month on the job.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Callahan entered the consent decree resolving the lawsuit on July 1, 2010. In addition to providing monetary compensation to the worker, the two-year decree requires Silgan to notify the EEOC of any complaints of discrimination at its Oconomowoc plant for the next two years. Silgan must report to the EEOC information about its hiring practices at the Oconomowoc facility for the duration of the decree. The company must also train its managers, supervisors and human resources employees in Oconomowoc about their responsibilities under Title VII. (WCxKitz)

“This case demonstrates racial discrimination in the American workplace is a serious and ongoing concern,” said John Rowe, EEOC district director in Chicago. “Employment discrimination has a devastating effect on workers. Fortunately, we were able to alleviate  effect in this instance because this worker took action on his own behalf by filing a charge with the EEOC.”

 

  \Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. Contact:  [email protected]   or 860-553-6604.

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