MVM will pay $1.6 million to settle lawsuit claims that company was intent on “weeding out” African employees

On December 17, 2020, EEOC announced that security services firm MVM, Inc. of Ashburn, VA entered into a two-year consent decree and will pay $1,600,000 to nine individuals who filed discrimination charges and to a class of employees to settle a systemic national origin and retaliation lawsuit. EEOC alleged that MVM engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against Africans based on their national origin and retaliated against employees for complaining.   The lawsuit claimed that a project manager who oversaw approximately 400 security personnel, about half of whom were foreign-born Africans, complained that there were “too many Africans,” mocked their accents, and declared he would fire Africans to reduce their number on the contract [with the National Institute of Health].   After those comments, MVM systemically denied leave to African employees, forced them to work on their days off, and subjected them to heightened scrutiny, suspension, threats of termination and made-up charges of misconduct and poor performance, and fired them without cause.

MVM must implement equitable relief, including expungement of terminations and disciplinary records; providing security clearance and background letters; and appointing its VP of Human Resources as an internal consent decree monitor.