Washington Unified School District to Pay $17,000 in EEOC Age Discrimination Charge

FRESNO, Calif. – The Washington Unified School District, located in Fresno, Calif., settled a federal charge of age discrimination filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for $17,000 and other injunctive relief, the federal agency announced today.

An EEOC charge of discrimination was filed in April 2022, alleging that the employee was denied reasonable accommodation, subjected to different terms and conditions of employment, and finally discharged because of age and disability. The EEOC investigated the allegations and found reasonable cause to believe the Washington Unified School District had violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), when it denied equal terms and conditions of employment and discharged a math teacher due to the employee’s age, 65.

Without admitting liability, the Washington Unified School District entered into a conciliation agreement with the EEOC. The school district agreed to pay $17,000 to the impacted individual, provide a neutral letter of reference, and provide training to supervisors and managers on the ADEA and complaint handling. Additionally, the school district will post a notice to all employees about the resolution of this charge and their rights under federal anti-discrimination law. The EEOC will monitor compliance with this agreement.

“Employees should be provided equal opportunity in employment based on merit, not on their age,” said Armando Hernandez, director of the EEOC’s Fresno local office. “We commend Washington Unified School District for resolving this charge and putting in place measures that will benefit employees throughout the school district.”

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.