Cargill To Pay $2.2M In Settlement

Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. will pay $2.2 million as part of settlement with the federal government over discrimination allegations involving three of its U.S. meat processing plants.

The money will be used to pay back wages and interest to nearly 3,000 applicants who were rejected for jobs at facilities in Springdale, Ark.; Fort Morgan, Colo.; and Beardstown, Ill., between 2005 and 2009.

U.S. Department of Labor officials say the company's hiring process discriminated based on sex, race and ethnicity.

Cargill says it did not discriminate against applicants and that the government's allegations are unfounded. The company says it chose to settle the case to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation.

The Wichita, Kan., company is owned by Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc.