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Press Release

TRUCKING COMPANY YRC AND EEOC REACH AGREEMENT ADDRESSING DIVERSITY EFFORTS IN TRUCKING INDUSTRY

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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JOINT PRESS RELEASE
3-5-09

ST. LOUIS – YRC Inc. (“YRC”), and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) today announced an agreement providing for an expanded recruitment program that both the federal agency and America’s largest over-the-road trucking company expect will increase the diversity of YRC’s truck driving and dock employees’ workforce.

The agreement focuses on continuing and expanding YRC’s existing diversity efforts and hiring programs for women and minorities. In particular, YRC has agreed to:

  • Expand its sponsorship of Women in Trucking, an organization established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry;
  • Continue its “Diversity Days” initiative, an innovative program bringing together community and good faith placement agencies and human resources personnel to promote minority hiring;
  • Enhance YRC’s recruiting efforts generally through a variety of measures to increase community awareness of opportunities at YRC for women, African Americans and Hispanics;
  • Provide new training to its managers designed to identify and remove unintentional yet significant barriers to hiring women and minorities into dockworker and driver positions; and
  • Improve the work environment for women and minorities at YRC facilities.

James G. Kissinger, Executive Vice President of Human Resources for YRC’s parent company, YRC Inc., said, "YRC is pleased that we were able to work collaboratively with the EEOC. Everyone recognized that certain structural and perceptual barriers still exist to hiring in the trucking industry, particularly for women. We have achieved an outcome that will lead to a more diverse applicant pool and ultimately a more diverse workforce once the current economic downturn is over and hiring resumes in earnest. Working with community agencies and organizations such as Woman in Trucking, YRC has implemented and will continue to implement better recruiting and hiring practices."

The agreement, voluntarily entered into by YRC without admitting liability or wrongdoing, ended an investigation by the EEOC into YRC’s hiring practices with respect to women, African Americans, and Hispanics into truck driving and dock worker positions. The investigation was concluded without a finding that YRC violated Title VII.

James R. Neely, Jr., Director of the EEOC's St. Louis District Office, which led the efforts to reach this agreement, said, "YRC worked cooperatively with the EEOC to resolve our concerns regarding the opportunities present for women and minorities in these positions. Working with the agency, YRC proactively designed improvements that will hopefully serve as 'best practices' models for others in the trucking industry."

YRC Worldwide Inc., a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest transportation service providers in the world, is the holding company for a portfolio of successful brands including YRC, Reimer Express, YRC Logistics, New Penn, Holland, Reddaway and Glen Moore. Building on the strength of its heritage brands, Yellow Transportation and Roadway, the enterprise provides global transportation services, transportation management solutions and logistics management. The portfolio of brands represents a comprehensive array of services for the shipment of industrial, commercial and retail goods domestically and internationally. Headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, YRC Worldwide employs approximately 55,000 people.

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on disability, race, color, gender (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), religion, national origin, age, and retaliation. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


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