In a significant legal move, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed lawsuits against two major automakers, General Motors (GM) and Stellantis, over accusations of discrimination and harassment within their workforce.
The EEOC alleges that GM, in partnership with the United Auto Workers (UAW), has been enforcing a policy since October 2019 that discriminates against older workers. Specifically, the policy reduces sickness-and-accident benefits for employees aged 66 and older who receive Social Security benefits. This is said to impact at least 50 GM facilities nationwide and violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, according to the EEOC.
“This policy unfairly penalizes workers based on their age, depriving them of the benefits they are entitled to,” said an EEOC spokesperson. The commission is seeking to recover the benefits lost by these workers and to ensure that such practices are permanently halted.
Meanwhile, Stellantis’ FCA US unit, which includes Chrysler, faces serious allegations of sexual harassment. The lawsuit claims that since December 2020, female employees at a Detroit assembly plant have endured a hostile work environment due to pervasive harassment by male supervisors and colleagues. Despite numerous complaints, the company allegedly failed to take corrective action, allowing the abuse to continue.
The EEOC details incidents of inappropriate touching and sexually charged comments, pointing out that the failure to discipline the perpetrators exacerbated the toxic atmosphere. This, the EEOC argues, is a direct violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In both cases, the EEOC is pushing for compensatory and punitive damages for the affected employees. Additionally, the lawsuits seek permanent injunctions to prevent further discriminatory practices and harassment.
GM has yet to comment on the legal action, while Stellantis and the UAW have not provided immediate responses.
The lawsuits were filed in federal courts in New Albany, Indiana, and Detroit, Michigan, and could have significant implications for the companies involved. The EEOC’s actions underscore the agency’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights, particularly those of vulnerable and marginalized groups within the workforce.
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