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Press Release 12-16-2022

Qualtool Agrees to Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit

Company Rejected Female Applicants for Positions on Evening Shift, Federal Agency Charged

MIAMI – Qualtool, Inc., a Tavares, Florida tool manufacturing company, will pay $50,000 and furnish other relief to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Oppor­tunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Qualtool refused to accept applications from or hire women who sought positions on the evening shift because of their sex.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employers from considering sex when making hiring decisions. The EEOC filed its suit (Civil Action No. 5:21-cv-229) in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

In addition to the $50,000 in monetary relief, the five-year consent decree settling the suit requires Qualtool to develop and distribute a written policy against discrimination and to conduct anti-discrimination training. Qualtool must also post a notice at its worksite about the lawsuit and submit written reports twice a year to the EEOC.

“Unfortunately, some employers continue to rely on antiquated stereotypes about women to make hiring decisions,” said EEOC Miami Regional Attorney Robert E. Weisberg. “The EEOC is here to remedy such misconduct.”

The director of the EEOC’s Miami District Office, Evangeline Hawthorne, warned, “Employers cannot shut people out of jobs based on sex. The EEOC remains steadfast in its commitment to take legal action against those who engage in such unlawful hiring practices.”

For more information on sex-based discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.

The EEOC's Miami District Office is comprised of the Miami, Tampa and San Juan EEOC offices, and has jurisdiction over Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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.