Employers May Not Discriminate Against Employees Due to Sex or Sexual Orientation

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently settled a case against a transportation service company that the EEOC had alleged discriminated against its employees due to their sex and sexual orientation.  The EEOC's lawsuit claimed that the company subjected four of its female employees to discriminatory and disparaging comments and actions.  For example, the owner called these employees "f*cking lesbians" and "fat ugly b*tches."  He also told them that he hated dealing with women and that "women like [them]" would be "killed in [his] country."  This harassment resulted in all four women's employment being terminated on the same day.  When terminating their employment, the owner announced to the entire company that all of the lesbians were fired.  This alleged conduct is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits discrimination against employees due to their sex or sexual orientation, prohibits harassment due to these protected classes, and prohibits retaliation for complaining about discrimination on this basis.  See EEOC v. Sandia Transportation, LLC, Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-00274-MV-GJF (D.N.M.).