Federal Agency Charges Dealership Fired Female Manager and Replaced Her With Less Experienced Male
ST. LOUIS – Vicars Powersports, a McAlester, Oklahoma retailer of motorsports vehicles, will pay $75,000 and furnish other relief to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sex discrimination lawsuit, the federal agency announced today.
The EEOC suit charged that Vicars Powersports fired a female sales manager, who was satisfactorily performing her job, because she is a woman, falsely telling her that her sales manager position was being eliminated. Weeks later, the dealership posted a message on Facebook announcing the promotion of a less experienced male employee into the sales manager position.
Such alleged conduct violated Title VII, which prohibits sex discrimination. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. V8 Motors LLC d/b/a Vicars Powersports, Case No. 6:23-cv-00299-JAR) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
In addition to requiring the company to pay $75,000 to the former employee, the three-year consent decree entered by federal magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson, enjoins Vicars Powersports from future violations of Title VII and requires the dealership to train its owners, managers, and employees on its newly adopted policy prohibiting sex discrimination. The dealership is also required to notify employees of their rights and to periodically report to the EEOC all complaints of alleged sex discrimination.
“All employers are obligated to provide a workplace free from discrimination,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Andrea G. Baran. “This decree will help ensure that female employees at Vicars Powersports are able to do their jobs and will be evaluated based on the quality of their work, not outdated stereotypes about their gender.”
EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Patrick J. Holman said, “Vicars Powersports has been cooperative in working with the EEOC to reach a fair and timely resolution of this case. The company appears committed to addressing the discriminatory practices at issue and to preventing future violations.”
David Davis, director of the EEOC’s St. Louis District office, added, “Industries such as motorsports and all-terrain vehicle sales that frequently promote male-centric advertising and stereotypes must actively ensure they offer equal employment opportunities to women.”
For more information on sex-based discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/sex-based-discrimination.
The EEOC’s St Louis District Office has jurisdiction over Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and a portion of southern Illinois.
The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov.
