GREEN BAY, Wis. – Federal contractor Green Bay Dressed Beef LLC will pay $1.65 million in back wages, interest and benefits to 970 women who were allegedly subjected to systemic discrimination by the company. This settlement follows an investigation by the US Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which found the women were rejected for general laborer positions at the company's Green Bay plant in 2006 and 2007.

In addition to financial compensation, the beef supplier will extend a total of 248 offers of employment to affected women as positions become available. The company already has hired more than 60 of the women in the original class, according to a news release.


During a scheduled compliance review, OFCCP determined the company had violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of gender in their employment practices. Under the terms of the conciliation agreement worked out between the Labor Department and the contractor, the $1.65 million will be divided among the affected women who return timely notifications.

The company also has agreed to undertake extensive self-monitoring and corrective measures to ensure that all employment practices fully comply with the law and will immediately correct any discriminatory practices.

Two of Green Bay Dressed Beef's largest clients are the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Defense – as one of the largest suppliers of beef products for the federal school lunch program and one of the leading providers of beef products to American military personnel worldwide. The company is part of the fresh meats division of the American Foods Group LLC headquartered in Minneapolis.