Hormel Foods Corp. has agreed to hire 37 women with retroactive seniority and pay $550,000 in back wages to 403 female job applicants denied entry-level production positions at its Fremont hog-processing facility. The global food manufacturer’s action resolves U.S. Department of Labor findings that the company – a large federal contractor – discriminated in hiring against women in violation of Executive Order 11246.
The department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found Hormel’s selection practices discriminated against qualified female applicants for production positions from February 2008 to February 2009. In a scheduled compliance review, OFCCP also found that the company failed to keep required records related to its hiring practices. While not admitting liability, Hormel agreed to a settlement resolving these findings.