Each month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) files lawsuits and settles cases covering the federal laws they are responsible for enforcing. These federal laws include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act
- The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2022 (PWFA)
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA)
- The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA)
- Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
- Sections 102 and 103 of the Civil Rights Act of 1991
- Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA)
Below is a list of lawsuits and settlements by the EEOC in from July 16 to July 31, 2025.
- EEOC Lawsuits
- Indiana: EEOC Sues Boss Man Tacos for Sexual Harassment
- Minnesota: EEOC Sues Mayo Clinic for Religious Discrimination
- Michigan: EEOC Sues East Jordan Plastics for Sexual Harassment
- Nebraska: Appellate Court Affirms EEOC Disability Trial Victory
- New Jersey: EEOC Sues Pearson Education for Disability Discrimination
- New Mexico: EEOC Sues Scalo Restaurant for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
- North Carolina: EEOC Sues Gator Strong Services for Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination
- EEOC Settlements
- Alabama: Polaris Industries to Pay $55,000 in EEOC Pregnancy Suit
- Colorado: Christopher’s Dodge Ram to Pay $480,000 in EEOC Sex, Race and National Origin Harassment and Retaliation Case
- Colorado: Western Distributing to Pay $919,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
- Nevada: Two Las Vegas Strip Resort & Casinos Settle EEOC Religious Discrimination Charges
- New York: Frontier Hot-Dip Galvanizing to Pay $360,000 in EEOC Race, National Origin Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit
- New York: In Largest EEOC Public Settlement in Almost 20 Years, Columbia University Agrees to Pay $21 Million to Resolve EEOC Antisemitism Charges
- Texas: HSS Security to Pay $35,000 in EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
EEOC Lawsuits
Indiana: EEOC Sues Boss Man Tacos for Sexual Harassment
Allegations
Sex discrimination; Sexual harassment
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Michigan
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, since at least November 2021, Boss Man Tacos knew its head chef and other male cooks were sexually harassing its female servers, some of whom were teenagers, but allowed the harassment to continue. The EEOC alleged the harassment included trapping women in restrooms and walk-in refrigerators in order to make unwanted sexual advances, touching them inappropriately, propositioning women for sex, and making lewd and offensive sexual jokes and comments. The harassment was so severe that some employees felt compelled to quit, the EEOC said.
Minnesota: EEOC Sues Mayo Clinic for Religious Discrimination
Allegations
Religion discrimination; Reasonable accommodations
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Minnesota
Summary
According to the EEOC’s suit, the employee requested an accommodation to Mayo’s vaccination policy because he was opposed to getting the COVID-19 vaccine based on his religious beliefs. The employee, a security guard in a non-medical role, explained the basis of his religious beliefs, and offered that he would be willing to receive tests for COVID-19 and to wear a mask. However, the employer rejected his request for a religious accommodation because it did not believe the employee’s religious beliefs were sincere. Faced with termination, the employee submitted to the vaccination policy in order to avoid being fired, the EEOC said.
Michigan: EEOC Sues East Jordan Plastics for Sexual Harassment
Allegations
Sex discrimination; Sexual harassment
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Michigan
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, female employees at East Jordan Plastic’s Beaverton, Michigan location were sexually harassed by a male co-worker. The harassing conduct included sexually explicit comments and inappropriate touching. Because East Jordan Plastics received at least two complaints from different women, it was aware of the harassment, but it took no disciplinary action against the male employee. The company finally conducted interviews and terminated the harasser, but only after yet another woman complained.
Nebraska: Appellate Court Affirms EEOC Disability Trial Victory
Allegations
Disability discrimination; Reasonable accommodation
Laws Involved
Americans with Disabilities Act
State
Nebraska
Summary
The EEOC’s lawsuit alleged Werner violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it refused to hire a qualified deaf truck driver because he was deaf. In September 2023, a Nebraska jury agreed and awarded $75,000 in compensatory damages and $36 million in punitive damages. The U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska entered judgment in favor of EEOC, reducing the jury’s award to the statutory cap of $300,000 and awarding back pay and prejudgment interest. The district court also ordered injunctive relief requiring Werner to report certain information about deaf applicants to the EEOC.
Werner appealed to the circuit court, arguing the district court erred by: granting a directed verdict on the issue of causation; granting summary judgment in EEOC’s favor on certain affirmative defenses; making several adverse evidentiary rulings against Werner; denying Werner’s motions for judgment as a matter of law; granting injunctive relief, and awarding prejudgment interest.
The appellate court’s thorough opinion systematically analyzed each point the company raised on appeal. “[D]iscerning no error,” the court’s three-judge panel unanimously affirmed the judgment in its totality.
New Jersey: EEOC Sues Pearson Education for Disability Discrimination
Allegations
Disability discrimination; Reasonable accommodation
Laws Involved
Americans with Disabilities Act
State
New Jersey
Summary
According to the EEOC’s suit, Pearson contracted with third-party vendors to provide online platforms employees must use to access information for their benefits, leave and training. However, employees who are blind or have other visual impairments and rely on screen reading software could not view their information because these online portals were replete with technical issues, making them inaccessible. Pearson was aware of this deficiency but failed to provide affected employees with reasonable accommodations allowing them to have equal access to the terms, conditions and privileges of their employment relationship.
The EEOC’s suit also alleged Pearson discriminated against employees needing screen reading software by participating in a contractual arrangement or relationship subjecting these employees to discrimination.
New Mexico: EEOC Sues Scalo Restaurant for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
Allegations
Sex discrimination; Sexual harassment; Retaliation
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
New Mexico
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, two male managers subjected female employees to relentless sexual harassment, including: vulgar comments about female customers and employees; physically touching female employees without their consent; loudly and graphically discussing their sex lives and sexual preferences; and repeatedly asking female workers to meet after work. A male manager also allegedly reduced an employee’s hours and offered to give her more scheduled hours if she had sex with him. Some female employees complained about harassment, but Scalo to failed to take adequate corrective action.
Finally, Scalo retaliated against some female employees by terminating them or reducing their hours after they objected to the male managers’ harassment, allowing the abuse to continue for years.
North Carolina: EEOC Sues Gator Strong Services for Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination
Allegations
Sex discrimination; Sexual harassment
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
North Carolina
Summary
According to the suit, the former chief operating officer (COO) of Gator Strong, LLC subjected the office manager to a campaign of sexual harassment, including repeatedly making sexual comments to her and humiliating her in front of her colleagues because of her sex. The harassment escalated over time, leading to the COO presenting the office manager with an inappropriate written proposition. The COO repeatedly attempted to talk about the proposition; after she refused to discuss it multiple times, the COO fired her. The lawsuit also alleged that Gator Strong NC, LLC has successor liability for the unlawful conduct.
EEOC Settlements
Alabama: Polaris Industries to Pay $55,000 in EEOC Pregnancy Suit
Allegations
Pregnancy discrimination; Reasonable accommodation
Laws Involved
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
State
Alabama
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Polaris penalized an employee for pregnancy-related absences and medical appointments. The company also required her to work mandatory overtime despite direction from her physician that she not work over 40 hours per week during her pregnancy. Polaris told the employee that it would terminate her if she accumulated additional attendance points for any reason. Faced with choosing between her job and the health of her unborn child, the employee felt no choice but to resign.
Colorado: Christopher’s Dodge Ram to Pay $480,000 in EEOC Sex, Race and National Origin Harassment and Retaliation Case
Allegations
Race discrimination; National origin discrimination; Sex discrimination; Retaliation
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Colorado
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Christopher’s Dodge Ram employees and managers used derogatory and demeaning language toward female employees and touched them inappropriately. The EEOC also alleged that a female employee observed a director at the dealership watching pornography while at work and soon after, he cornered her in a room and made inappropriate sexual comments. Christopher’s Dodge Ram fired her shortly after she complained about the encounter, according to the agency.
Colorado: Western Distributing to Pay $919,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
Allegations
Disability discrimination; Reasonable accommodation
Laws Involved
Americans with Disabilities Act
State
Colorado
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Western discriminated against individuals with disabilities, mostly over-the-road truck drivers, through multiple corporate policies. Western’s full-duty policy required individuals to be released from any and all medical restrictions in order to work, regardless of whether the individual could work with or without a reasonable accommodation. Western also maintained a policy of firing employees if they could not return from Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave within 12 weeks, even if they could have returned with a short extension or other accommodation. Western’s decision to fire employees often came with little to no warning, as employees received notice about their termination through a letter in the mail.
Nevada: Two Las Vegas Strip Resort & Casinos Settle EEOC Religious Discrimination Charges
Allegations
Religion discrimination; Reasonable accommodation
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Nevada
Summary
The charges filed with the EEOC alleged that Aria and Luxor denied employees religious accommodations to the companies’ COVID-19 vaccine mandate policies.
New York: Frontier Hot-Dip Galvanizing to Pay $360,000 in EEOC Race, National Origin Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit
Allegations
Race discrimination; National origin discrimination; Retaliation
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
New York
Summary
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the company subjected a class of black temporary and permanent workers to egregious race- and national origin-based harassment, including routine use of egregious racial slurs and forcing them to endure a workplace covered in racially offensive graffiti. The company failed to address the hostile work environment even after receiving complaints. Instead, when two workers complained and then filed charges of discrimination with the EEOC, Frontier threatened and fired them, the EEOC charged.
New York: In Largest EEOC Public Settlement in Almost 20 Years, Columbia University Agrees to Pay $21 Million to Resolve EEOC Antisemitism Charges
Allegations
Race discrimination; National origin discrimination; Religion discrimination
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
New York
Summary
Columbia University will pay $21 million for a class settlement fund to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Columbia employees occurring on its campus following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today. This settlement resolves EEOC charges, including a Commissioner’s Charge brought by Acting Chair Andrea Lucas in 2024 on behalf of a class of all Jewish employees, alleging that since at least Oct. 7, 2023, Columbia engaged in a pattern or practice of harassment based on national origin, religion, and/or race, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (Title VII). This resolution represents the largest EEOC public settlement in nearly 20 years for any form of discrimination or harassment. In addition, in the EEOC’s 60-year history, this is both the largest EEOC settlement for victims of antisemitism to date, as well as the most significant EEOC settlement for workers of any faith or religion.
Texas: HSS Security to Pay $35,000 in EEOC Sex Discrimination Lawsuit
Allegations
Sex discrimination
Laws Involved
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
State
Texas
Summary
In the lawsuit, the EEOC charged that after initially offering a highly qualified female applicant a job as a security supervisor, HSS Security unlawfully rescinded the offer and refused to hire her because of her sex. According to the EEOC, the evidence showed that the female applicant possessed more than the requisite qualifications for the position.
After the female applicant accepted the job offer, two male HSS Security managers took issue with her hiring upon meeting her. Although she assured them of her skills and abilities and described her actual experience in such situations, the managers denied her employment. The company later offered the security supervisor position to two male applicants, neither of whom was more qualified than the female applicant.
