New Orleans Towing Company Ordered to Pay in Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

October 23, 2018

A U.S. District Court has entered judgment against a New Orleans-based towing company for failing to respond to a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for breaching an EEOC mediation agreement of a pregnancy discrimination charge.

According to the EEOC’s suit (Civil Action No. 2:18-cv-3874 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana), TRU Towing breached its mediation settlement agreement with the EEOC and Devora Hampton, under which it agreed to pay $5,500 to resolve a pregnancy discrimination claim.

The EEOC’s lawsuit alleges that on Jan. 31, 2018, TRU Towing’s owner, Brian Ballard, and Hampton entered into an agreement to settle her charge during mediation. The company refused to pay the money owned to her and, thus, the EEOC filed suit seeking enforcement of the contractual agreement and payment of the settlement money.

TRU Towing was served with the suit, and despite concerted efforts by the EEOC, they failed to answer the lawsuit or even appear in court. As such, the EEOC moved to have the court enter a judgment by default in their favor, which was granted by the court on October 17, 2018. Additionally, the court ordered TRU Towing and its owner Brain Ballard to pay Hampton the $5,500.00 amount agreed to during mediation.

According to the company’s website, TRU Towing operates a fleet of 20 trucks and has been in business for over 30 years.

Source: EEOC

Topics Lawsuits

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.