The EEOC had six charges filed with it between 2007 and 2009 alleging that the San Diego staffing firm Huyssen Inc., doing business as Sedona Group, engaged in a pattern and practice of classifying and failing to refer job applicants based on their race, color, sex, national origin, age or disability.

The EEOC just issued a press release announcing that Sedona agreed to pay $920,000 to a class of “men and women of various races and national origins, individuals 40 years of age and older, and those with disabilities,” who applied to Sedona for referral employment.  Sedona also agreed to provide yearly EEO and diversity training to all its Sab Diego employees, and to “hire an independent EEO consultant to assist the company in revising its EEO policies and complaint procedures, training and compliance with the agreement.”

Takeaway:  We do not know the specific details of the discrimination charges, or their merits, but nevertheless we have always endorsed wholeheartedly, and exhorted all employers, that yearly EEO and diversity training, competent advice from employment discrimination specialists, as well as periodic updating of written policy and procedure manuals, is something that should be scrupulously attended to.