Covarrubias v. Capt. Charlie's Seafood Inc.
What's at Stake
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of North Carolina and the North Carolina Justice Center filed a class action lawsuit and charges of discrimination against Capt. Charlie's Seafood, Inc. on behalf of three temporary H-2B visa workers for unlawfully restricting them to certain work solely because they are women. The class action lawsuit charged that the company underpaid H-2B visa workers and failed to reimburse them for visa and travel costs.
Summary
A North Carolina federal court has approved an agreement providing that the seafood company will enter a consent decree requiring it to institute a gender non-discrimination policy and give back pay to three Mexican H-2B visa workers who claimed the company unlawfully restricted them to certain work solely because they are women.
The settlement requires Capt. Charlie’s to pay each of the women back pay, reimburse class members for their visa and travel costs and unpaid wages, and pay attorneys’ fees.
In addition, the consent decree provides for other worker protections including requiring the company to pay workers’ visa and transportation costs going forward, offer all jobs on a gender-neutral basis promulgate a non-discrimination policy and explain it to employees in English and Spanish and provide outside anti-discrimination training to employees and officers.
Status: Settlement Reached
Legal Documents
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11/21/2011
Covarrubias v. Capt. Charlie's Seafood Inc. - Consent Decree
Date Filed: 11/21/2011
Affiliate: North Carolina
Press Releases
North Carolina Seafood Company to Implement Gender Non-Discrimination Policy After Guest Workers’ Lawsuit
Women Guestworkers Challenge Seafood Company's Gender-Based Job Restrictions