AMARILLO, Texas – The US Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced that federal contractor Caviness Beef Packers Ltd., doing business as Palo Duro Meat Processing Inc. in Amarillo and Caviness Packing Co. in Hereford, has agreed to a settlement resolving findings that the company discriminated against job applicants on the basis of race and gender by rejecting them for positions at the company's two meat processing facilities.

OFCCP conducted scheduled compliance reviews of both plants, which found that the company had violated Executive Order 11246 by failing to meet its obligations as a federal contractor to ensure that qualified job applicants receive equal consideration for employment without regard to their sex, race, color, religion or national origin. Caviness holds contracts with the US Department of Agriculture for more than $20 million.


Under the conciliation agreement, Amarillo-based Caviness Beef Packers will pay $600,000 to the 746 identified class members, including back wages and interest, and extend at least 81 offers of employment as positions become available. The company also agreed to revise its selection process for production positions to avoid future violations of its equal employment opportunity obligations.