The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed lawsuits against two major automakers—General Motors (GM) and Stellantis and the United Auto Workers (UAW)—accusing them of violating federal labor and civil rights laws.
In the first case, the EEOC has accused General Motors and the United Auto Workers (UAW) of age discrimination. The lawsuit, filed on Friday in New Albany, Indiana, claims that GM and UAW have maintained a sickness-and-accident benefits policy since October 2019 that reduces payouts to employees aged 66 and older who receive Social Security benefits. The policy, which impacts workers at more than 50 GM facilities across the U.S., allegedly discriminates against older employees, violating the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC seeks to recoup the benefits owed to older employees who were allegedly denied their full benefits under this policy.
In a separate lawsuit, Stellantis’ FCA US unit is accused of disregarding ongoing sexual harassment at one of its Detroit assembly plants. The EEOC filed the lawsuit in Detroit federal court, claiming that since December 2020, female employees were subjected to inappropriate touching, sexually charged comments, and other forms of harassment by male supervisors and co-workers.
The EEOC asserts that Stellantis failed to investigate the complaints and even allowed harassers to be placed in leadership positions, creating a hostile work environment. This alleged behavior violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Stellantis has not commented on the lawsuit.
The lawsuits are part of a broader enforcement effort by federal agencies under the Biden administration. The GM and UAW case seeks financial compensation for workers who were denied benefits. In contrast, the Stellantis case seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the female employees involved. Both lawsuits also demand permanent injunctions to prevent further discriminatory or harassing conduct.
