B. Braun reaches agreement over gender discrimination allegations
The U.S. Department of Labor and B. Braun Medical Inc. have entered an agreement to resolve allegations that the company, which is a federal contractor, breached an agreement to address discrimination against female employees and applicants at its Lehigh Valley facility.
The Labor Department said in a news release Thursday that its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs determined that in 2017, the company steered female applicants into lower-paying positions as general manufacturing associates at its Hanover Township, Lehigh County, location. The company denied the allegations.
The Labor Department determined B. Braun’s actions violated an order which prevents contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or national original.
B. Braun has agreed to pay $75,984 in back pay and interest to 24 qualified female applicants who were not selected during the monitoring period, according to the release. It will also collaborate with the department’s employment and training administration’s office of apprenticeship to help female employees in getting the certifications and necessary training to fill warehouse associate roles, the release states.
B. Braun must set aside about $35,000 a year to support transportation and child care subsidies as needed for the training, officials said.
B. Braun Medical Inc. is a subsidiary of the B. Braun Group of Companies, which has contracts with many federal departments and agencies, according to the release. The Lehigh Valley location is at 901 Macron Blvd.