MEMPHIS, Tenn — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against a Memphis staffing agency and distribution company, accusing them of discriminating against Black applicants.
The EEOC claims Aaron Thomas Company, Inc., a distribution company, and Supreme Staffing, LLC, a staffing agency, violated federal law by denying applicants employment because of their race.
The EEOC said since at least January 2018, the companies failed to refer and hire Black applicants for low-skill positions. The agency also claims Aaron Thomas requested only Hispanic applicants for certain job positions, and Supreme Staffing complied with the request.
The lawsuit also claims but companies “segregated and assigned Black employees to less desirable and lower-paying positions and terminated Black employees because of their race.”
The EEOC said the lawsuit was filed after trying to reach a settlement. The suit asks for back pay, compensatory and punitive damages for affected employees and Black applicants, and an injunction against future discrimination.
“Memphis is known as America’s distribution center and is home to more than 100 warehouse logistics services,” said Edmond Sims, acting director of the EEOC’s Memphis District Office. “Staffing agencies and their clients often work hand in hand in hiring employees, and both have a duty to ensure that their hiring practices are not discriminatory. The EEOC remains committed to ensuring that all applicants, regardless of race, have equal opportunity in the workplace.”
ABC 24 has reached out to both companies for comment.
For more information on race discrimination visit www.eeoc.gov/racecolor-discrimination.
