SOUTH BEND, Ind. - A northern Indiana vending and coffee service
provider will pay $22,000 and other significant relief to resolve a race
discrimination lawsuit filed last year by the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the
federal agency announced today.
According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Coffel Vending Company, located in
Mishawaka, Ind., discriminated against a black applicant in filling
vending service representative positions.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Indiana, South Bend Division (EEOC v. Coffel Vending
Company, Case No. 3:19-cv-00596-PPS-MGG)
in August 2019 after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation
settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to providing monetary relief, the consent decree settling
the suit requires that Coffel train hiring personnel on Title VII's
prohibition of race-based hiring and how to create an inclusive and
diverse workplace. Coffel must also
issue an apology letter to the rejected applicant. The EEOC will monitor
compliance with the four-year decree.
"Applicants must be evaluated for jobs based on their qualifications
with no disadvantage because of their race," said EEOC Regional Attorney
Kenneth L. Bird.
EEOC Indianapolis District Director Michelle Eisele added, "We are
pleased that Coffel Vending is willing to educate its hiring personnel
on discrimination and how best to create a diverse workplace."
The EEOC's Indianapolis District Office oversees Indiana, Michigan,
Kentucky and parts of Ohio. Eliminating barriers to recruitment and
hiring, especially class-based recruitment and hiring practices that
discriminate against people with
disabilities or racial, ethnic, and religious groups, older workers, and
women, is one of the six national priorities identified by the
Commission's Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).
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