Arkansas Kids’ Psychiatric Center Settles Discrimination Lawsuit

A federal anti-discrimination agency says a psychiatric in-patient treatment center has agreed to pay $87,500 to settle a lawsuit claiming retaliation was the motive for firing four employees.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission announced the settlement on May 2 of its lawsuit against Delta Family Health and Fitness for Children at Hamburg.

The EEOC, which filed the lawsuit in 2009, said employees fired during 2008 included one who complained about sexual harassment, a co-worker named as a witness, and two other employees who had also filed discrimination charges.

EEOC trial attorney Pamela Dixon said Delta denied it had violated the law, but she praised the center for working to reach a settlement.

As part of the settlement, Delta agreed to provide anti-retaliation training to all employees.