MV Transportation Settles EEOC Sex Bias Suit

Female Bus Cleaners Treated Differently and Fired Due to Gender, Federal Agency Charged

FRESNO – The U.S. Equal Employment  Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the simultaneous filing and  settlement of its gender discrimination lawsuit against MV Transportation, a  provider of passenger transportation services.

Two former bus cleaners, both  female, alleged that they were treated differently and ultimately terminated  due to their gender, which EEOC alleged violated Title VII of the Civil Rights  Act of 1964 (Title VII). Both the  lawsuit and the decree resolving the matter were filed in U.S. District Court  for the Eastern District of California (EEOC  v. MV Transportation, Inc., Case No. 2:11-cv-02020-MCE-EFB). The facility in Merced, Calif.,  where the bus cleaners worked no longer exists.  The company denied the allegations in the lawsuit, but worked with the  EEOC for a positive resolution.

The company will pay $35,000 and  furnish other relief to resolve the sex bias claims occurring at the company's  former Merced site.  Aside from the monetary relief, MV  Transportation agreed to take proactive measures to ensure against  discrimination in the workplace, including revising its anti-discrimination polices  and procedures, providing additional training to managers and non-management  employees, and other remedies. MV agreed  to implement the injunctive relief remedies at its Hartford, Calif.,  location.

"MV Transportation is to be commended for  agreeing to substantial injunctive relief and we hope other employers will take  similar proactive action," said Anna Y. Park, regional attorney for the EEOC's  Los Angeles District Office, which includes Merced in its jurisdiction.

Melissa Barrios, director of the EEOC's Fresno Local  Office, added, "Gender bias continues to be a problem in today's workplace, as  our Fair Pay Day events highlighted. It  is important for employers to recognize the need to address sex discrimination  immediately so that the problem does not continue."

According to the company's website,  Fairfield, Calif.-based MV Transportation employs over 12,000 employees in over  100 locations in 24 states throughout the United States.

The EEOC is the federal agency that  enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is  available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.