State Investigation Leads to $4.25 Million Settlement in Mining Discrimination Lawsuit

CHICAGO – Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) Director Janice Glenn today congratulated the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the resolution of two lawsuits against various Illinois affiliated coal mining companies that alleged discriminatory hiring practices towards women in underground mines and related positions, which followed a collaborative investigation between both agencies.

The $4.25 million settlement calls for the involved mining companies to provide payment to women applicants who were denied employment based on sex, and will result in the immediate hiring of women into Illinois coal production jobs. As the EEOC pursued a charge of systematic discrimination, IDHR was engaged in the preparation, investigation, and interviewing of witnesses.

“These lawsuits by the EEOC, and the subsequent settlement, are a major victory for gender equality in a historically male-dominated profession,” said IDHR Director Janice Glenn. “I am thankful for the work of our Springfield and Marion offices in collaborating on the investigation that led to this significant settlement. This investigation is an example of the strength of our partnership with the EEOC, allowing us to more effectively enforce state and federal antidiscrimination laws.”

Sex discrimination in employment is illegal under both the Illinois Human Rights Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Read more about the EEOC Settlement at: https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/1-25-17.cfm.