The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing three related janitorial companies, alleging they carried out a multi-year hiring scheme that excluded qualified American and non-Hispanic applicants from jobs across Colorado.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, alleges Triad Solution Services, Pro Cleaning Services and All Cleaning Service LLC favored workers of Latin American origin to maintain a labor force they could “more easily intimidate and exploit.”
The EEOC said the companies routinely rejected American applicants to preserve a workforce they believed would tolerate unlawful working conditions. Several American applicants were allegedly turned away even when the companies were actively hiring.
From 2016 to 2022, Triad’s Colorado workforce was nearly entirely comprised of workers of Latin American origin, despite repeated applications from qualified non-Hispanic American candidates, according to the lawsuit.
After steering hiring toward workers of Latin American origin, the companies allegedly subjected those employees to intimidation and coercive working conditions. Workers reported being told they lacked the right to complain because they were not American and described threats, harassment and a general atmosphere of fear.
Employees also reported being required to work seven days a week, denied overtime pay, misclassified as independent contractors and discouraged from raising concerns about wages or treatment.
The companies provide janitorial and maintenance services for schools, businesses and grocery stores, including King Soopers, in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.
“Employers cannot screen out American and non-Hispanic applicants in order to maintain a labor force they believe will accept unlawful working conditions,” said Mary Jo O’Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Phoenix District.
“Such practices violate federal law. The EEOC will aggressively investigate and, when necessary, prosecute employers that engage in discriminatory hiring schemes.”
The EEOC said the alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin. The agency filed the lawsuit after attempting to resolve the matter through an administrative process.
Representatives from Triad could not be immediately reached for comment.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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