Pitney Bowes to pay nearly $1.6M to resolve race-based hiring discrimination allegations at five locations

CHICAGO – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has entered into a conciliation agreement with Pitney Bowes, to resolve alleged hiring discrimination at five of its facilities. 

Pursuant to the agreement, Pitney Bowes will pay $1,590,000 in back wages and interest to 468 applicants. The company will extend 106 job offers to the affected applicants.

A routine compliance review by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found that from May 3, 2019 to May 3, 2021, Pitney Bowes discriminated against Black, Hispanic, and White applicants for mail-sorting positions in Urbandale, Iowa; Levittown Town and Reading, Pennsylvania; Grand Prairie, Texas; and Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The agency determined the company’s actions violated Executive Order 11246 which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. 

“A settlement of this magnitude sends a clear message that federal contractors will be held accountable for discriminatory hiring practices,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Director Michele Hodge. “Compliance with the law is not optional.”

“The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs takes the obligations of federal contractors seriously, particularly those that require employers to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified job applicants,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Carmen Navarro in Chicago. 

Based in Stamford, Connecticut, Pitney Bowes provides technology, logistics, and financial services to more than 90 percent of the Fortune 500. Its clients include many U.S. government agencies and small businesses, large enterprises and retail operations around the world.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs launched the Class Member Locator to identify applicants or workers who may be entitled to monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement as a result of OFCCP’s compliance evaluations and complaint investigations. If you think you may be a class member who applied for jobs at Pitney Bowes during the investigative period of May 3, 2019 and May 3, 2021, please use OFCCP’s Class Member Locator to learn more about this and other settlements. 

In addition to EO 11246, OFCCP enforces Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. These laws, as amended, prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors from discrimination in employment because of disability or status as a protected veteran.