EEOC Sues Norman Car Dealership for Sex Discrimination

Landers Chrysler Dodge Rejected  Salesperson Because She Was a Woman, Federal Agency Charges

ST. LOUIS - Landers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Norman, Okla.,  violated federal law when it refused to hire a female salesperson, the U.S.  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed  today.  

According  to the suit, Landers bought an existing car dealership, David Stanley Chrysler,  in 2017. After the purchase, Landers hired all the David Stanley sales staff  except one, the sole female salesperson, despite her successful sales record  and previous customer service award. At the time, a Landers executive told another  manager, "This is not a lady's job yet."

Such  alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After first  attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation  process, the EEOC filed the lawsuit (EEOC v. LL Oak Two LLC d/b/a Landers Chrysler  Dodge Jeep Ram of Norman, et al., Civil Action No. 5:19-cv-00839) in U.S.  District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The agency seeks monetary  damages, training on anti-discrimination laws, posting of anti-discrimination notices  at the worksite, and other injunctive relief.

"Federal  law has guaranteed equal employment opportunity for women for over 50 years,  but some employers still say, 'not yet'," said Andrea G. Baran, the  EEOC's regional attorney in St. Louis.  "We are committed to ensuring that the millions of women who work in  male-dominated industries every day are judged solely on their abilities, not  their gender."

L. Jack Vasquez, Jr., director of the EEOC's St. Louis  District Office, added, "Making  hiring decisions based on sex is not only unlawful, it's bad business. We  encourage workers who encounter discrimination in hiring to report that  information to the EEOC."

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws  prohibiting employment discrimination. The St. Louis District Office oversees  Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and a portion of southern Illinois.

The EEOC advances  opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment  discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov.  Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.