Rep. Bennie Thompson, NAACP call for federal investigation into Maximus

Maximus employees for years have complained about low wages, poor working conditions and racial and gender inequities, often prompting protests and attempts to unionize.

With headquarters in Reston, Virginia and a large operation in Mississippi, Maximus provides technological and operational solutions for federal agencies. The company employs nearly 40,000 people worldwide and reports approximately $4.25 billion in annual revenue.

This year, employees are digging deeper into the muck with the release of a study that shows just how employees of color and female workers are underrepresented and underpaid. The study was released by the Communication Workers of America and NAACP.

Tiandra Robinson, a former Maximus employee, hosted a Zoom meeting in which Maximus employees and representatives of various organizations shared their thoughts on working conditions at Maximus.

Robinson also is an organizer for the Communication Workers of America in the Hattiesburg area.

"Today, our new report reveals the stark racial and gender disparities at Maximus between its frontline workforce and its midlevel managers and executives," Robinson said.

They are calling for a federal investigation into Maximus' operations, in which nearly half the company's lowest-paid workers are women of color, according to the study. At the top, the disparity is even clearer, with most executive jobs going to white male employees, according to the study.

Women of color are least likely to be considered for promotions and career advancement opportunities, the study says. In addition, some of the employees claim they've even been discouraged from applying for other positions within the company.

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Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, who joined the Zoom meeting by phone, said he has met with employees of Maximus in Hattiesburg to hear about their issues. What he learned was disappointing and frustrating.

"It is unfortunate in this day and time that a federal contractor would treat any worker, especially federal workers, like this," Thompson said. "Right now, they have over $4 billion in contracts around this country. They are a large company. They can treat their employees better."

Thompson is joining the NAACP, Communication Workers of America and other organizations in calling for the Biden Administration to look into Maximus employees' claims.

"It is time, with this issue around equity and inclusion, that they (Maximus) do better," Thompson said.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson said the organization is also calling on the president to live up to his promise of equity, especially in federal contracts — something the NAACP says Maximus has failed to do.

"What we are looking at now is a corporation that has mistreated their workers and exploited tax dollars without providing the necessary equity in opportunity," he said. "As we sit here in the South, particularly in a state like Mississippi, where we know all too well how individuals in organizations and corporations exploit people in an effort to maximize their profits using tax dollars."

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CWA President Chris Shelton said Maximus employees have been met with adversity when attempting to organize and join a union.

"They have been met with heavy resistance from the company which has done everything it can to silence these workers," Shelton said. "Instead of addressing the workers' concerns, Maximus, which receives taxpayer dollars as a federal contractor, has offered bonuses for workers willing to work during a strike."

One of the most recent protests was held in January, when workers protested the layoffs of more than 140 employees at its Hattiesburg location. The Hattiesburg location at one time employed over 1,000 workers. It currently has around 800.

Maximus is pushing back, saying information in the report is inaccurate.

“Maximus is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and we continue to make significant progress with our long-term commitment to build a strong and diverse workforce," the company said in a prepared statement. "We take strong issue with undocumented and uncorroborated claims and faulty research promoted in this report. Like all federal contractors, our operations are routinely audited by the government for hiring and promotion practices as well as for the diversity of overall staffing by location.

"Maximus has passed every audit conducted across our locations. We hold ourselves accountable, from the executive level to those working every day serving millions of Americans seeking information and connecting with essential benefits.”

Regardless, Thompson said it is important for the government to look into the claims and make a determination.

"If this contractor is in violation of the intent and spirit of this whole issue of equity and inclusion to hold them accountable," Thompson said. "Either fix it or find someone else who will."

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Bennie Thompson, NAACP want Biden Administration to investigate Maximus