NAPA (KRON)– A Napa Valley winery has agreed to hire women, provide restrooms for them and also pay $65,000 to settle a sex discrimination complaint.
The settlement money will be divided between the eight employees and the lawyers who filed the claim against Alsace Co. vineyard.
The eight employees weren’t all women; instead two women and 6 men filed the complaint.
They said that Alsace provided only one portable toilet for all employees working on the 38-acre vineyard.
That’s in direct contrast with the law.
State law requires separate restroom facilities for male and female farmworkers.
The claim wasn’t just about restrooms.
The complainants also said that the foreman told them that the vineyard manager, Farm West, had a general policy to only fire men.
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing said that the vineyard’s actions violated state laws against employment discrimination and also public accommodations.
The Vineyard could not be reached for any comments.