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UPS Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Galena Goins, Sonia Lopez, and Terry A. Jones-Jackson have filed a class action lawsuit against UPS.
- Why: The plaintiffs allege the company engages in systemic discrimination based on gender, age, and disability.
- Where: The class action lawsuit is pending in California federal court.
At United Parcel Services, Inc. (UPS), female employees are forced to work in the back while the men work in the front in violation of the company’s seniority rules, and women are routinely denied opportunities for advancement and higher pay, according to a new class action lawsuit.
“UPS’ standard operating procedure is to hold back women from supervisory roles, full-time and overtime opportunities, regardless of their performance,” the class action, lodged by lead plaintiffs Galena Goins, Sonia Lopez, and Terry A. Jones-Jackson, states.
Working under a double standard, women report to work at UPS unsure of their position and whether they will get bumped from their permanent positions despite their seniority, allege the plaintiffs. In this way, women are forced to prove their commitment to UPS in a way no one else is, facing demotion if they take advantage of the company’s flexible work policies or paid leave.
The plaintiffs also say they risk isolation, being forced to work in areas with flows too heavy for one person, and are even pushed out of their section if they do not meet the new and impossibly high standards that are set for them—if they dare to complain about the unequal treatment
“UPS’ policies and practices are emblematic of the ‘old boys’ club’ that permeates corporate culture, suppresses female advancement and stereotypes women,” the lawsuit states. “When female employees complain about workplace culture, they are punished.”
UPS Class Action Lawsuit Wants Back Pay, Change in Work Policies
The plaintiffs seek to represent several Classes of UPS workers. They want the court to issue a declaratory judgment that UPS’ practices are unlawful; a permanent injunction against UPS and all persons acting in concert with it from engaging in any further unlawful practices; an order requiring UPS to initiate and implement programs that remedy the hostile work environment at UPS, ensure prompt, remedial action regarding all claims of gender, age and disability discrimination and eliminate the continuing effects of the discrimination and retaliatory practices; an order requiring UPS to initiate and implement systems for compensating female employees in a non-discriminatory manner; an order directing UPS to adjust the compensation of class members to the level that they should be enjoying; an award of back pay, front pay, lost benefits, preferential rights to jobs and other damages suffered by the plaintiffs; an award of nominal, liquidated and compensatory damages; punitive damages, litigation costs and expenses; and pre- and post-judgment interest.
This is not the first class action UPS has faced over its employment practices. In recent years, workers lodged a class action lawsuit alleging UPS uses background checks to make employment decisions without providing the results to job applicants or employees in violation of federal law.
Are you a UPS employee? Have you faced discrimination? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by M. Alieu Iscandari, Esq., of Iscandari Law Group and Tiega-Noel Varlack, Esq., of Varack Legal Services.
The UPS Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit is Goins, et al. v. United Parcel Service, Inc., Case No. 3:21-cv-08722, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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28 thoughts onUPS Discriminates Against Female Employees, New Class Action Lawsuit Claims
I have been working at UPS for 6 months. I started as an unloader breaking jams in August. Jam breaking is a strenuous job. The temperatures reached 90 ° at the top of ladder. I weighed 130 lbs quickly lost 10 pounds the first 3 weeks. I was always put up top going between 1-3 different shutes to break jams. I was sweating so much my closed were soaked. For 4 weeks I continued, they were trying to get me to quit. I would’ve. I took the sort test, passed went up to sort. I was last on Senority. I employee that was hired after me. Took the sort test after me was put above me on the Senority list. I asked the Steward about it he said he would have to investigate. The other Steward was on vacation I had to wait until he got back. I wanted to file a grievance. When he told the Lead Supervisor, that Supervisor told him the guy was ahead of me in Seniority. It still hasn’t changed since I called the business manager for the Union. I spoke with him he said he needed to investigate. It has been 6 weeks since this all began its still not resolved!.
I believe I was wrongfully terminated from UPS I wasn’t notified I was fired. I was assaulted after writing a sexual harassment complaint on a co worker. Was not allowed to return to work since February 15,2023
Been working for UPS for almost 5 years. Started as preloader and went to driver right when COVID started .In March 2021 I started having multiple health issues, these issues limited how much I was able to work, for the first 6 months my boss worked with me to give me as much time off I could get! Then I went on short term disability for 6 months! Went back to work in December of 2021 and only lasted 2 weeks before I had to call 911 while on the Job. I was admitted to the hospital for my heart for 2 days! Then went back on Disability for another 6 months ! Durning the Process my work said I should do the ADA process due to me not being able to do my full time driver position. Starting the ADA process was very confusing and hard. With no HR department to go to, no real direction from any part other then two contact two companies that Handle our HR and Other services . From the start of the process I was told by the In house HR person that my pay would never go down! Over the next year on multiple occasions I had asked again to get the response in writing , she would always respond with I’ll call you and talk about it, and she would reassure me over the phone that the pay rate would not go down ! In October of 22 finally started to get some traction on finding a position that I would be able to do with my limitations due to my heart conditions! Once again during this time period I once again was trying to get clarification on the contract I was being asked to sign cause it was very vague and open ended ! Once again I was called and told don’t worry it won’t change ! So I trusted her , my only point of contact for the company ! I had so many issues with my health going on that I had to trust in her words cause I could barely handle all the medical side off this whole process! A position was found for me and I was directed to go down to Ontario Airport to get my ID , and during this phone call I was once again told make sure you don’t talk to anyone about my pay rate cause they will be mad! The job position I ended up taking is almost 100 miles round trip from my house and 3 hrs a day driving ! The only reason I took the job so far away cause I was promised my pay rate was not going to go down by my HR contact person for almost a Year ! It’s been almost 3 months back at work and it’s taken till this week for all parties to tell me that sorry it is what it is ! Durning the last 3 months of trying to figure out my pay and everything , I had a meeting with one of my full time managers and she had even verified that she was told by HR when I first started that my pay rate was not going to change from my driver pay ! From talking to other people who work for UPS and have gone threw ADA process, it seems that most where wronged in one way or another and feel like the positions they are put in is to just make it so we can no longer financially afford to try and fight for our rights! I had 1.5 months left on the 12 month period of the ADA process , when I finally got a job position that could work and at this late in the game the pressure of everything in life has taken its toll and you are pressured to hurry up and get everything to the correct parties asap!
I have tried to call and email the HR person to try and move forward with finding another position closer to home but my phone calls and emails don’t get responded to and she is the only point of contact I have for trying to get a new position closer to home ! One more thing that makes me feel like I’m being forced out!
Thank you for your time