Corning Inc. accused of sex discrimination at NY facilities: Here's the latest

Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette
·2 min read
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Corning Inc. has agreed to a settlement in a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, (EEOC) which claimed the company favored men over women for some employee promotions.

As part of the settlement, Corning agreed to pay $120,000 and make changes in its hiring and advancement policies, according to an EEOC news release.

"Corning’s success depends on the diversity of its people. We intentionally develop and recruit a diverse pipeline of talent, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees throughout the company," Corning Inc. said in a statement. "This case has been settled without any admission of liability or fault by Corning. We have no further comment."

EEOC claimed the company violated federal law by failing to promote women who were working as process assistants (machine operators) at its Sullivan Park and Big Flats facilities.

More: Corning Inc. sued by EEOC, accused of sex discrimination at NY facilities

The agency alleged Corning provided men in the same roles at those locations with greater training opportunities, and bent its own eligibility rules to place them in line lead positions instead of similarly or more qualified women, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“The EEOC appreciates Corning’s willingness to make critical changes to its line lead hiring process, changes that we believe will lead to the advancement of qualified employees regardless of their sex,” said Jeffrey Burstein, the agency's regional attorney for the New York District Office.

In addition to the monetary relief, the three-year consent decree requires Corning to provide enhanced anti-discrimination training with a focus on hiring, revise its equal employment opportunity policies, modify its line lead hiring processes, and receive and investigate complaints of discrimination and retaliation.

Those investigations must also be reported to the EEOC, which will monitor Corning’s compliance with the obligations for the next three years.

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This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Corning Inc. sex discrimination case settlement: What we know