Employer Settles Charges of Gender Bias Against Discharged Male Employee
March 27, 2017
Ultracare Las Vegas will pay $15,000 and furnish other relief to settle allegations that the ultrasound technician provider violated Title VII by terminating the employment of a male ultrasound technician because of his gender. The employee was purportedly fired because of a customer preference.
From 2010 to 2013, Nevada Health Centers and Ultracare Las Vegas had a service contract under which Ultracare agreed to provide Nevada Health Centers with ultrasound technicians. In November 2012, Ultracare hired the employee as an ultrasound technician and placed him at Nevada Health Centers. Within weeks of his placement, Nevada Health Centers allegedly asked Ultracare to remove Matlock from the assignment. Ultracare promptly accommodated Nevada Health Center's request by terminating the employee’s work assignment during the first week of January 2013.
Ultracare has entered into a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), but the charges against Nevada Health Centers are still in litigation. In addition to monetary relief, Ultracare will implement injunctive relief to ensure equal employment opportunities for its employees, regardless of gender; train its management on the importance of nondiscrimination in the recruitment, hiring, placement, and discharge of employees; and report to the EEOC about gender discrimination complaints and the company’s recruitment, hiring, and placement practices.
"Sex-role stereotypes deprive qualified individuals from equal employment opportunities," said EEOC Regional Attorney Anna Park. "Customer preference is not a defense for discrimination. Placement companies must comply with the law even when a client openly expresses an illegal gender preference."
