Employment
Promoting Fair Employment Practices
First, MALDEF seeks to end discrimination in entry-level hiring and in opportunities for promotion on the basis of race/ethnicity, and in cases where the discrimination stems from additional factors – for example, gender identity or sexual orientation. We place particular emphasis on occupations that have high impact on Latino communities, such as law enforcement and teaching.
Examples of our work in this area include an employment discrimination suit filed against a northern California market where Latino employees were subjected to threats and anti-immigrant rhetoric in months leading up to the November 2016 election, and a multi-million dollar post-trial verdict on behalf of three Latino police officers in Westminster, a Southern California city where tensions between the city and the Latino community are high.
Second, MALDEF fights for fair compensation and working conditions in occupations and industries with large numbers of Latino workers. In a recent example, MALDEF negotiated a settlement for the largely Latino workforce in our longstanding challenge to labor law violations by several related car wash operators in Los Angeles. We also filed suit against an aircraft cleaning company on behalf of employees who were banned from speaking Spanish on the job.
Employment
MALDEF STATEMENT ON SETTLEMENT WITH MARTIN FAMILY FARMS
On September 8, 2020, MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational
MALDEF FILES JOB DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT AGAINST THE LOS ANGELES PUBLIC DEFENDER’S OFFICE
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s promotion policy unlawfully discriminates against Latino attorneys, according to a federal lawsuit filed Friday against Los Angeles County.
WASHINGTON STATE JURY AWARDS $600,000 TO LATINO PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WHO FACED DISCRIMINATION
LOS ANGELES – Three Latino men who sued the Clark County Department of Public Works for discrimination and racial bias were awarded $200,000 each by a jury on Tuesday.
MALDEF SUES TEXAS WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION
Austin, Texas – A Texas waste management company unlawfully discriminated against Latino workers, according to a federal lawsuit filed by a Latino civil rights group.
MALDEF SUES INDIANA PIG FARM FOR LABOR VIOLATIONS
LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Latino civil rights organization is suing an Indiana pig farm for federal minimum wage violations and breach of contract involving six women, according to court documents.
MALDEF AND REVATURE LLC REACH CONFIDENTIAL RESOLUTION OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT
LOS ANGELES – On August 19, 2021, Maria Jerez, represented by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against Revature LLC. Jerez is a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The suit alleged that Jerez was denied the opportunity to compete for an employment position at Revature because of her immigration status.
Resolution reached
On May 16, 2017, Jimmy David Ramirez-Castellanos and Francisco Javier Gomez Espinoza, represented by MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against Nugget Market, Inc.
TECH COMPANY SUED FOR DENYING JOBS TO DACA RECIPIENTS
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – A Latino civil rights group is suing a national technology company for unlawfully denying a DACA recipient employment because of her immigration status, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court today.
Agreement Reached in Class Action Hiring Discrimination Case Brought By DACA recipient
MIAMI – David Rodriguez, a DACA recipient who applied for an internship at The Procter & Gamble Company, and P&G, have reached an agreement in Rodriguez v. P&G. The case sought to address P&G’s policy and practice of screening out non-U.S. citizens applicants unless they held a long-term work authorization.
CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION SUES CLARK COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS OVER TREATMENT OF LATINO EMPLOYEES
SEATTLE – Latino employees of the Clark County, Washington Public Works Department are subject to harassment and discrimination by supervisors and coworkers, according to a lawsuit filed today in federal court.