Glass Repair Company Refused to Hire Applicant Because She Is Female,
Federal Agency Charges

Ohio-based Safelite AutoGlass, a vehicle glass repair and replacement business, violated federal law by refusing to hire a qualified applicant because she is a woman, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a woman applied for an Auto Glass technician trainee position at a Safelite AutoGlass location in Austin, Texas. During the interview, the applicant informed the store manager she had two years of experience as a repair technician, which required her to lift and move heavy furniture. Despite this information, the store manager expressed concern about the female applicant’s ability to lift heavy weight. The store manager suggested a lower-paying position would be a better fit because it involved lifting less weight. The applicant did not receive a written job offer or hear from Safelite after the interview. Safelite hired two male technician trainees within one week of the female applicant’s job interview, who were not better qualified than the female applicant.

Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The case, EEOC v. Safelite Fulfillment, Inc. d/b/a Safelite AutoGlass, Civil Action No. 1:22-cv-00887, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division. The lawsuit seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, as well as appropriate injunctive relief to prevent similar such discriminatory practices in the future.

“The applicant in this case was qualified for the position and deserved the opportunity to be judged based on her abilities instead of her sex,” said EEOC Trial Attorney Esha Rajendran.

“Preclusive presumptions and job steering based on gender stereotyping about women for jobs traditionally thought of as ‘a man’s job’ can cause an employer to lose the opportunity to add excellent employees to their teams,” said Robert A. Canino, regional attorney for the EEOC in Dallas. “The EEOC continues to prioritize its work to remove discriminatory barriers placed at the front door of businesses.”

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Lisa Smith, SPHR, SCP

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