US Department of Labor enters agreement with disposable medical device manufacturer to resolve alleged hiring discrimination in Utah

SOUTH JORDAN, UT – The U.S. Department of Labor and Merit Services Inc., a manufacturer of disposable medical devices, have entered into a conciliation agreement to resolve allegations of hiring discrimination.

 A compliance evaluation by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs alleged the manufacturer – which supplied the U.S. Navy during the investigative period from Nov. 18, 2011 through Nov. 18, 2013 – discriminated against 1,680 male applicants for Production Operator II positions at its South Jordan facility. Executive Order 11246 prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity.

 As part of the conciliation agreement, Merit Services will pay $295,000 in back wages to the applicants and provide Production Operator II job opportunities to 46 of those affected applicants as positions become available in the greater Salt Lake City area. The company will also take steps to ensure its personnel practices, including recordkeeping and internal auditing procedures, meet legal requirements.

 “The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to resolving discrimination issues by working with employers and employees,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Southwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Director Melissa Speer in Dallas. “Together, the department and Merit will ensure that this issue is resolved, and that the company has the measures in place to comply with federal hiring and employment law.”

OFCCP recently launched the Class Member Locator. The purpose of the CML is to identify applicants and/or workers who have been impacted by OFCCP’s compliance evaluations and complaint investigations and who may be entitled to a portion of monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement. Learn more about OFCCP and other recent OFCCP settlements.