Glunt Industries, a machining company based in Warren, Ohio, has agreed to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The federal agency accused the company of discriminating against women by not hiring them for production jobs since at least 2018 and failing to provide women’s restrooms on the plant floors.
The lawsuit also claimed that Glunt retaliated against its human resources director after she helped hire two women for project manager roles. The women were later fired and replaced with men, and the HR director was forced to leave the company.
This legal action was taken under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination in employment. After attempts to resolve the issue without going to court, the EEOC filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
Under the two-year agreement that ends the lawsuit, Glunt will pay the $2 million to the former HR director, the two fired women, and other women who applied for production jobs but were not hired. The company has also agreed to stop discriminating based on sex and to support efforts to provide more equal chances for female job applicants.
Additionally, the settlement requires Glunt to offer training, keep better records, and report on their progress to make sure policies are fair moving forward. This case highlights ongoing challenges women face in traditionally male industries and the importance of enforcing workplace equality laws.