Wisconsin McDonald’s Operator Settles EEOC Race Discrimination Claim
Pensec, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation which operates nine McDonald’s fast food restaurants, will pay $31,137 and furnish other relief to resolve a race discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced.
According to EEOC’s lawsuit, Pensec failed or refused to hire Black applicants because of their race. Unsuccessful black applicants at the location were told the store manager, “Don’t like n—–s,” and that the store needed “Spanish people.” That location, on West Washington Street in Milwaukee, also had a statistically significant shortfall in the hiring of black employees based on census data for the area.
This alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace based on race. The EEOC filed its lawsuit (Civil Action No. 21-cv-1409) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin after attempting to resolve the case through its conciliation process.
In addition to the monetary relief, the consent decree entered by U.S. District Court Judge J.P. Stadtmueller prohibits the company from discriminating in the future; requires the company to make best efforts to reach hiring goals for black employees; and mandates Pensec provide training on Title VII to its employees and make regular reports to the EEOC regarding its compliance with the decree.
Source: EEOC