Judge: Twin Cities trucking firm's strength test discriminates against women

A federal judge has ruled that a major Twin Cities trucking firm has been mandating a strength test that discriminates against female drivers, an order that could mean thousands of dollars each in payments to dozens of women, a federal agency announced this week.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Hildy Bowbeer said in her order that the test required by Stan Koch & Sons disproportionately screens out women who had been offered jobs by Koch to work as truck drivers or who were already employed by Koch and needed to take the test to return to work following an injury.

Koch did not present evidence to show that the test was job-related and consistent with a business necessity, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said.

EEOC attorney Ethan Cohen told the Star Tribune that up to 90 women could be eligible to receive thousands of dollars each thanks to the judge's ruling.

Further court proceedings will determine eligibility and the precise amount of money owed, the agency said. The EEOC also said it will seek an injunction ordering Koch to stop using the test.

Koch officials did not respond to a call from the Star Tribune.

"The women who failed the [strength] test were qualified, experienced truck drivers who had successfully worked at other companies but were prevented from working at Koch, in effect, because of their gender," Gregory Gochanour, the EEOC's regional attorney in Chicago, said in a statement.

The ruling is the latest setback for Golden Valley-based Koch in connection with the test. In October 2020, driver Alana Nelson was awarded $165,000 after the company refused to take her back because she failed a strength test following a workplace injury.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482