Dollar General to Pay $295,000 to Settle EEOC Age Discrimination and Retaliation Lawsuit

Background:

ST. LOUIS – Dollar General Stores will pay $295,000 and furnish other relief to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuit that charged the retailer with age discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Allegations:

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, from July 2016 until January 2018, a newly hired Dollar General regional director in Oklahoma harassed district managers who were in their 50s and older. The harassment included derogatory comments such as calling them "grumpy old men," stating he was building "a millennial team," and asserting that the stores needed "young blood." He threatened these older managers, telling them to keep up with the "millennial team" or face termination.

One of the district managers quit and reported the harassment to the company. Instead of investigating the claims of age discrimination, Dollar General sought feedback from other district managers about the new regional director. This emboldened the director, who continued his harassment and eventually fired two district managers in retaliation for reporting his misconduct. Another district manager was forced to quit due to ongoing harassment.

Settlement:

The EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma (EEOC v. Dolgencorp, LLC d/b/a Dollar General, Civil Action No. 6:21-cv-00295) after first attempting to resolve the issue through its conciliation process. Under the terms of the settlement, Dollar General will pay $295,000 to three former managers. Additionally, the decree requires the company to take various actions to protect older workers from age discrimination in its Eastern Oklahoma region. These actions include training for retail and human resources managers, adopting and distributing effective policies and procedures to prevent age harassment and discrimination, and notifying employees of their rights. The company will also report its compliance with the decree to the EEOC.

Conclusion:

This settlement highlights the legal obligation of employers to prevent age discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Dollar General's agreement to pay monetary damages and implement preventive measures underscores the importance of protecting the rights of older employees.