GARDENA, CA – The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement agreement with a federal contractor that manufactures aircraft components for several federal agencies and the U.S. military, after the department found systemic pay discrimination affecting female employees and disability discrimination at its Gardena, California, facility.
The agreement with Designed Metal Connections — operating as Permaswage — follows an investigation by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. In its review, OFCCP found that since at least Jan. 1, 2018, the employer discriminated against 63 female employees by paying them significantly less than comparable male employees in the finishing job category. Executive Order 11246 prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.
In addition, the agency found that Permaswage failed to respond to employees who requested reasonable accommodations based on disability, in violation of federal law.
The agreement requires Permaswage to pay $122,000 in back wages and interest to the affected female workers and review its overall compensation system. It must also review its reasonable accommodation policies and provide enhanced training to its managers to ensure future compliance. The employer will also conduct annual compensation analyses and correct any unjustified pay disparity.
“Federal contractors must conduct annual...
Abbott Laboratories, the Illinois-based healthcare company that manufactures and sells infant formula and nutritional therapy products, has agreed to pay $384,999,040 to resolve allegations that i...