A large South Georgia vegetable farm has agreed to pay $500,000 to a group of American laborers and their attorneys to resolve an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleged Hamilton Growers/Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable Inc. discriminated against the U.S. laborers and fired them so it could replace them with Mexican guest workers. The farm also fired black American workers because of their race and national origin, the EEOC said in the complaint it filed last year. The lawsuit stemmed from complaints dozens of U.S. workers filed in recent years with the help of the Georgia Legal Services Program.
The Norman Park-based farm had accused the U.S. workers of violating attendance rules, loitering and failing to keep up with the work.
“Hamilton Growers and Southern Valley are committed to equal employment opportunities for all employees, and we adamantly deny the allegations of discrimination and unlawful conduct raised in the case,” the companies said in a statement issued Thursday. “However, due to the significant costs involved in litigation of this nature, we were compelled to resolve the matter. The companies look forward to continuing to contribute to the community as conscientious employers and responsible corporate citizens.”
The $500,000 payment is listed in a 37-page consent decree filed this month in the U.S. District Court in Valdosta.
Robert Dawkins, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Atlanta District office, said: “We are optimistic that this resolution will go a long way in discouraging employers from discriminating against workers based on race and national origin in the hiring or firing process.”
About the Author
