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View All NewsSpencer Reed to pay $125,000 in EEOC suit
Spencer Reed Group LLC, an Overland Park KS-based staffing firm, will pay $125,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the commission. Spencer Reed denied any liability or wrongdoing in the settlement.
The EEOC reported that Spencer Reed allegedly discriminated against a 55-year-old white female at its Atlanta office because of her age and race, and allegedly fired her after she complained.
The person had served as a senior functional analyst for Spencer Reed since 2003. She was allegedly subject to unduly harsh discipline, denied training, given the heaviest and most difficult workload, forced to provide work reports on a weekly instead of monthly basis and belittled in front of co-workers, according to the EEOC. However, her co-workers, who were younger African Americans, were not treated in the same way, the agency reported.
According to the EEOC, the settlement also includes provisions for equal employment opportunity training, reporting and posting of anti-discrimination notices.
"Spencer Reed Group worked diligently with the parties in this case to come to a speedy resolution," said Robert Dawkins, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta office. "Going forward, we believe the company is sincerely committed to avoiding these types of problems."
In a statement, the Spencer Reed Group said "A fundamental value of Spencer Reed Group is workplace fairness; we strive to treat all of our employees in this manner. We acknowledge the settlement of the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit in Atlanta."
The statement continued: "As in our answer to the suit and in the consent decree, we steadfastly deny any liability or wrongdoing in this matter. We appreciate and support the EEOC's mission and thank them for their comments saying the Spencer Reed Group worked diligently with all the parties in this case in order to come to a speedy resolution."