NFI Logistics and Federal Agency Agree to Consent Decree

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently resolved its race and national origin harassment suit against NFI Interactive Logistics LLC, a privately owned provider of transportation and distribution services, which is headquar­tered in New Jersey. The case, which arose out of conduct at the company's now-closed Bolingbrook facility, was pending in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois before The Honorable Magistrate Judge Michael Mason, No. 1:14-cv-07569.

Under the decree, the company agreed to take proactive steps to help ensure that its employees work in an environment free from harassment, including providing anti-harassment training for certain human resource professionals and managers, and tracking and reporting future complaints of harass­ment. The company also agreed to pay $180,000 to compensate five employees that the agency identified as victims of harassment during their employment with the company.

"This employer is doing just what we hope - and expect - that all employers will do: taking proactive steps to ensure that all employees work in an environment where no employee is subject to harassment based on race or national origin," explained EEOC Regional Attorney John C. Hendrickson. "Experience demonstrates that these kinds of employer actions make a real difference, and we are pleased that NFI has embraced its responsibilities."

Julianne Bowman, the EEOC's district director in Chicago, echoed Hendrickson's comments, advising that no employer should be without a robust anti-harassment policy and training to ensure that employees understand it.

Trial Attorneys Deborah Hamilton and Richard Mrizek of the agency's Chicago District Office handled the matter in court under the supervision of Supervisory Trial Attorney Gregory Gochanour.

The EEOC's Chicago District Office is responsible for processing discrimination charges, administrative enforcement and the conduct of agency litigation in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, with area offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws against employment discrimination. Further information is available on its website www.eeoc.gov.