$100,000 Settlement in Retaliation Lawsuit Against Goodwill Industries

 
Thursday, July 24, 2014
 

Goodwill Industries will pay $100,000 and furnish other relief to settle a long-standing lawsuit FOR retaliation filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged that Goodwill retaliated against a worker at its Lawton, Okla., store, Mary Goulet, by firing her after she testified on behalf of another Goodwill employee in a previous federal sex and age discrimination lawsuit.

Under both Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), it is illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants because of their participation as a witness in another person's employment discrimination lawsuit. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (Civil Case No.: 11-CV-1043-D) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The consent decree settling the suit, which was approved by Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti, provides for injunctive relief designed to prevent future discrimination, including notification to employees, revision and dissemination of anti-discrimination policies, and live training on anti-retaliation law, in addition to the $100,000 monetary award.

One of the six national priorities identified by the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan is for the agency to preserve individuals' access to the legal system, which includes prohibiting employer practices which might impede the EEOC's investigative or enforcement efforts.

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