Trucking company settles discrimination lawsuit over strength exam

Trucking company Central Refrigerated Service has agreed to settle an age and sex discrimination charge filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over a strength exam, the federal agency said Thursday.

The settlement resolves claims that women or those over the age of 40 were adversely affected by a strength test mandated by the company for truck driver applicants at its Fontana facility.

According to the EEOC, the exams required more strength than what was needed for the position. Women and older applicants ultimately were not hired because of the exam.

The strength tests were administered by WorkWell, a third-party vendor no longer used by the company.

In 2013, Central was acquired by Swift Transportation. The West Valley City, Utah-based Central adopted the larger company’s hiring practices, which do not include strength or lifting exams, according to the EEOC.

Under the three-year settlement agreement, Central said it would prevent the use of the WorkWell strength exams as a condition of employment and agreed to maintain its anti-discrimination policies, according to the EEOC.

Mark Wilkey, Central’s general counsel, said in a statement that Central “is committed to equal opportunity employment and non-discrimination in employment.”

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