Gender Discrimination Case Costs Morris Co. Company $200K: Feds

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — To resolve allegations of gender-based pay discrimination at its Whippany location, a nationwide uniform rental and facility service company has agreed to pay more than $200,000 in back wages and interest.

The settlement, announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, resolves allegations that UniFirst Corp. underpaid 48 women in its production department compared to other male employees.

The conciliation agreement states that, as a result, UniFirst Corp. will pay $226,341 in back pay and interest to those affected employees.

“The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to combating pay discrimination and making sure federal contractors pay fair compensation to all employees as required by law,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Samuel B. Maiden in Philadelphia.

The wage disparities were discovered during a routine compliance assessment at UniFirst's Whippany location, which documented infractions dating back to July 2020, according to the agency.

UniFirst Corp. did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment on the matter.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs determined that UniFirst's actions violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or national origin.

UniFirst Corp., headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, has engaged in similar conciliation agreements following allegations of violations in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2017, Nashua, New Hampshire, in 2020 and New Kensington, Pennsylvania, in 2022.

UniFirst Corp., founded in 1936, provides services under federal contract to the United States Air Force, United States Navy and other federal agencies. In North America and Europe, the corporation employs approximately 14,000 people.