Food Ventures North America, Inc., operating as Wild Fork Foods, a part of the JBS USA family, has reached a settlement of $130,000 in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC announced that the lawsuit concerned allegations of national origin and race discrimination and retaliation.
The EEOC’s lawsuit detailed claims that Wild Fork Foods violated federal law. Specifically, a Hispanic female employee at the Wild Fork Foods corporate office in Miami allegedly endured a hostile work environment due to her national origin and race. Furthermore, the EEOC contended that she faced retaliation after complaining about the discriminatory behavior, ultimately leading to her forced resignation.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a cornerstone of US employment law, explicitly prohibits discrimination based on national origin and retaliation against employees who report such misconduct. The EEOC pursued the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division (EEOC v. Food Ventures of North America d/b/a Wild Fork Foods, Civil Action No. 1:21-cv-21389-KMW). Prior to litigation, the EEOC attempted to reach a settlement through its conciliation process.
A two-and-a-half-year consent decree has been approved by the federal court to resolve the EEOC’s lawsuit. In addition to the $130,000 financial settlement, Wild Fork Foods is mandated to implement specialized training programs. These programs will focus on national origin and race discrimination and harassment, targeting human resources personnel, managers, and all employees. The aim is to ensure comprehensive awareness of employee rights, complaint procedures, and management’s obligations in preventing workplace discrimination and effectively addressing complaints. The decree also requires Wild Fork Foods to regularly report to the EEOC any complaints related to national origin and race discrimination, detailing the company’s response and actions taken.
“We acknowledge Wild Fork Foods for their cooperative approach in resolving this lawsuit with the EEOC,” stated EEOC Regional Attorney Robert Weisberg. “Their commitment to addressing the EEOC’s concerns, along with their agreement to implement preventative measures and train management and HR personnel on handling national origin and race discrimination complaints, will positively impact both their employees and the company.”
EEOC Miami District Director Paul Valenti commented further, “The persistent failure of employers to effectively address discriminatory hostile work environments remains a significant issue in workplaces. Wild Fork Foods’ dedication to tackling this problem through robust, proactive measures should foster equal opportunities for employees from all ethnic backgrounds.”
The EEOC is dedicated to promoting opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws against employment discrimination. The Miami District Office’s jurisdiction encompasses Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More information can be found at www.eeoc.gov.
