BG Secures $1.5M Settlement, Policy Change in Des Moines Employment Discrimination Case

In a significant win for fair employment practices, the Iowa District Court has granted final approval of a $1.5 million class action settlement on behalf of African American job applicants who were denied employment at Des Moines Public Schools due to its flawed criminal background check practice.

Bailey Glasser attorney Thomas Bullock, and attorneys from Newkirk Zwagerman PLC and Nichols Kaster PLLP represented Plaintiff Vernon “Keith” Robinson and a class of 87 African American applicants who were excluded from employment at Iowa’s largest school district because of a criminal background check practice that excluded applicants from employment without giving any consideration to the individual’s rehabilitation. The lawsuit, filed in 2016, alleged that this policy discriminated against African Americans by disproportionately excluding them from employment without any legitimate job-related justification.

The settlement secures more than $3,000 per class member—a groundbreaking result compared to prior cases—and led to a reform of the district’s hiring practices to ensure rehabilitation is considered.

“This case shows the power of persistence and the importance of challenging systemic barriers to employment. We’re proud to have secured both meaningful compensation for our clients and long-term policy change. We hope that this win reminds other employers of the importance of conducting criminal background checks in the right way,” said Thomas Bullock.

To learn more about this case, including links to media coverage, visit here.

Learn more about attorney Tom Bullock by visiting his website bio here.

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