The Los Angeles-area meatpacking company Clougherty Packing Co. has agreed to employ 700 of 2,000 women who were wrongfully denied employment simply because they are female as new jobs at the plant become available.
The company did not admit to gender discrimination in the workplace but reached a settlement after an investigation by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, a part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Clougherty has a $4 million contract with the federal government to stock food shelters. The agreement to hire the female workers is part of the settlement
Clougherty Packing is the home of the Dodger Dog and is a subsidiary of Hormel Foods. The gender discrimination claims came after the company rejected 2,000 female applicants between 2007 and 2009 for entry-level positions. Only 20 percent of the LA meatpacker’s workforce is female. It outputs about 400 million pounds of pork products annually.
A Director for the Department of Labor’s compliance program emphasized the importance of gender equality and a discrimination-free workplace at Clougherty. As the home of the Dodger Dog – sold at Los Angeles Dodgers’ home baseball games – the company is part of the fabric of Americana and its practices should reflect the values of our country.
“So many Americans grew up eating Dodger Dogs and other Hormel products. These are uniquely American brands that ought to reflect American values, particularly when it comes to ensuring fairness in the workplace,” noted Patricia A. Shiu.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, “So. Calif. meatpacker settles discrimination claim,” December 18, 2012
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