OFCCP Settles with Comcast Over Steering and Hiring Discrimination

By | April 30, 2015

On April 30, 2015, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced a conciliation agreement with Comcast Corporation, which includes payments totaling $187,000 to current and former female employees and African-American, Asian, and Hispanic applicants. The news release can be found at: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/OFCCP20150844.htm.

The OFCCP alleged that between March 2006 and September 2007 in Everett, WA, Comcast steered 96 women into lower-paying positions assisting customers with cable, rather than high-paying positions assisting with Internet services because the Internet positions were considered “technical”. Additionally, the OFCCP alleged that Comcast disproportionally rejected 100 African-American, Asian, and Hispanic applicants for call center positions by using a hiring test that was neither uniformly applied nor validated as related to the job. The notices of violation were issued March 22, 2011 and on April 30, 2015 Comcast entered into a conciliation agreement. The agreement requires Comcast to pay $53,633.48 in back pay and interest to current and former female employees, pay $133,366.52 in back pay and interest to 100 African-American, Asian, and Hispanic applicants, and hire up to 31 members of the class as call center positions become available. Additionally, Comcast has agreed to correct any discriminatory practices and undertake self-monitoring measures to ensure compensation practices are fully compliant with the law.

Please contact us by calling (732) 446-2529 or sending us an e-mail at glennbarlett@gbcs.net if you are interested in discussing the OFCCP’s settlement with Comcast Corporation.