The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit accusing Les Schwab Tire Centers of failing to hire, train, and promote women into management jobs because of their sex.
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Download NowThe lawsuit stems from complaints Megan Morris and Jennifer Strange filed with the agency. The two women worked in various Les Schwab stores in the Puget Sound area in Washington , including Tacoma , Bellevue , SeaTac, and Puyallup . Although they requested to work in the tire bays, the company repeatedly denied them these jobs and the opportunity for promotion due to their gender, according to the lawsuit.
The EEOC also alleges that Les Schwab failed to hire female applicants into sales and service department jobs. These positions--which involve mounting, dismounting, repairing and rotating tires -- are held mainly by males and are a prerequisite for entry into more lucrative management jobs, the agency says.
The agency alleges that Les Schwab excluded women from those roles for more than 50 years.
"We disagree with the EEOC and are disappointed it has reached this stage," Jodie Hueske, the company's human resources director, said in a statement. "We have fully cooperated with the agency to date, and, while we continue to hope this can be resolved, we will vigorously defend our position if necessary. We are committed to equal opportunity practices in all aspects of our business."
The company has more than 400 tire centers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Utah, and Nevada.