Meathead Movers Settles EEOC Discrimination Cases

LOS ANGELES – Meathead Movers Inc., the largest independent moving company based in San Luis Obispo, California, agreed to pay up to $2 million for individuals who were not hired into various positions due to age or because of their sex, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), announced today.

The company agreed to hire qualified individuals into various positions including laborers, movers, customer service agents, and other positions, committing up to $1 million annually for four years towards agreeing to hiring aggrieved workers / individuals, i.e. workers who applied, were otherwise qualified, but for discrimination, were not hired, making the total settlement value possibly as high as $6 million.

The EEOC lawsuit – filed in 2023 – alleged that since at least 2017, Meathead Movers failed to recruit and to hire individuals over the age of 40 and advertised in a way to deter older workers from applying for positions. The EEOC further alleged that the company had, among other things, subjective hiring criteria favoring very young workers, serving as a proxy for age.

“Employers should not make assumptions about a candidate’s ability to do a job simply because of their age or sex and should make sure that their hiring and recruiting practices are based on the individual abilities and not stereotypes,” said Anna Y. Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles district. “We commend Meathead Movers for their commitment to hiring older workers and women into positions based on their qualifications.”

Such alleged conduct violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Meathead Movers, Inc., Case No.: 2:23-cv-01877) in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process. The consent decree, signed and approved by U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Fischer on Oct. 14, 2025, also resolves a discrimination investigation on behalf of women who were segregated into packer positions and/or denied hire into mover positions which the EEOC said violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

In addition to the monetary amount, Meathead Movers agreed to comprehensive injunctive relief remedies including the hiring of a third-party independent monitor to assist the company with complying with the ADEA and Title VII. The company agreed to review its discrimination policies and procedures to include revising its policies to conform with the ADEA and Title VII; review its recruiting and marketing processes; provide training; conduct audits; and report to the EEOC of its efforts to ensure its workforce is open to all workers regardless of age and sex.

The consent decree provides for a claims process for individuals who may have been affected by the company’s hiring practices. If you feel you were denied a job due to your age (40 or over) or sex (female), between 2017 to the present, please contact the EEOC by calling (213) 785-3088 or send an email to meatheadlawsuit@eeoc.gov for more instructions on how to file a claim.

The consent decree will remain under the court’s jurisdiction for up to 7 years, depending on when monetary relief obligations are met. The company will receive a discount and the term of the decree will shorten if the funding obligation is met early.

“The Age Discrimination in Employment Act provides robust protections for older workers in not only recruitment and hiring, but in all aspects of employment,” said Christine Park-Gonzalez, director of the EEOC’s Los Angeles district. “We are pleased with Meathead Movers addressing their recruitment and hiring practices and encourage other employers to review their policies and practices to make sure they are in line with federal law.”

For more information on age discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/age-discrimination. Information on sex discrimination can be found at https://www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.

The EEOC’s Los Angeles District includes central and southern California, southern Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands, with offices in Los Angeles, Fresno, Las Vegas, San Diego and Honolulu.

The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; the EEOC is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.