Rent-A-Center bias settlement approved
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 13, 2002
Plano, Texas — A U.S. District Court judge has approved the previously announced settlement of class-action gender discrimination lawsuits brought against Rent-A-Center.
Under the settlement terms, the rent-to-own giant will pay $47 million to more than 5,300 female employees and women who were employed or applied for jobs during a four-year period beginning in April 1998.
As previously announced, Rent-A-Center took charges of $16 million and $36 million in the third quarter and fourth quarter last year to cover the settlement and related expenses.
The settlement covered two cases in federal courts in East St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn., which alleged sex discrimination and harassment against female Rent-A-Center employees. The company, which has 2,366 stores across the nation and in Puerto Rico, admitted no wrong-doing.
Rent-A-Center said it is taking steps recommended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and outlined in the settlement, including a plan to fill up to 10% of its job vacancies over a 15-month period with qualified women who were parties to the suit.
In addition, the company already has expanded its human resources department, bringing in Jennifer Wisdom as a vice president in the department and adding two human resources directors.
On May 31, Rent-A-Center named to its board Mary Elizabeth Burton, chairman and chief executive officer of private investment and consulting firm BB Capital, fulfilling its agreement to add at least one woman member to its previously all-male board.
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Rent-A-Center settles discrimination suits
Mar 17, 2002
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