Poultry firm to pay $3.75M to settle discrimination lawsuits

MORTON, Miss. – A Mississippi poultry supplier will pay $3.75 million to Hispanic workers, ending an eight-year legal fight.

The Clarion Ledger reports Koch Foods of Mississippi LLC agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by 11 workers at its Morton plant, as well as one filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The lawsuits asserted Koch Foods subjected Hispanic and female employees to a hostile work environment and disparate treatment, and retaliated against complainants.

The agreement was filed Tuesday in federal court, and a judge signed off on a three-year consent decree. Koch Foods has agreed to take specific actions to prevent future discrimination, including training and creating a hotline.

Koch Foods said in a statement that the allegations were fabricated in a bid to obtain work authorizations through a visa.

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Information from: The Clarion Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com