Visalia, Calif.-based Tucoemas FCU agreed to resolve complaints filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by two female employees.

According to the EEOC, the credit union did not hire three internal female applicants over the age of 50 and instead chose a younger male applicant who did not have any prior credit union work experience. The charge also claimed that Tucoemas FCU retaliated against two of the female employees after they filed EEOC complaints, which forced one to quit and the other to be fired. The EEOC filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California after first trying to reach an agreement through a conciliation process.

Tucoemas FCU has agreed to pay $450,000 and take additional actions to resolve the complaint. The credit union agreed to retain an external equal employment opportunity consultant to monitor compliance with applicable laws; review and if needed revise policies and procedures against all discrimination and retaliation; provide training to all employees on sex and age discrimination and retaliation; and establish a centralized tracking system for recruitment, hiring, promotions, terminations, and sex and age discrimination complaints and monitor those complaints to prevent retaliation. The EEOC plans to monitor compliance with this agreement.