A Peachtree City pharmaceutical plastics maker has settled a retaliation lawsuit by agreeing to pay $90,000, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The EEOC lawsuit, filed in September 2010 in U.S. District Court, accused Gerresheimer of firing Donna McLeod from her job as a quality assurance manager in January 2009 in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge with the EEOC.
McLeod complained internally about gender-based bias in October 2008. After the employer concluded there was no discrimination in wages, McLeod took her grievance to the EEOC. Within six weeks of learning of the discrimination charge, Gerresheimer fired McLeod for purportedly misusing leave time.
As part of the settlement, Gerresheimer has agreed to provide EEO training and post anti-discrimination notices. It also denies any liability or wrongdoing. Efforts to reach Gerresheimer officials were unsuccessful Wednesday.
"All too often employers look for any opportunity to fire employees who exert their rights under federal civil rights law," said Robert Dawkins, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta district office.
EEOC Atlanta district director Bernice Williams Kimbrough said "retaliation is one of the most commonly identified bases of discrimination by people who file charges."
About the Author
