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| September 02, 2010 |
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JBS sued for discrimination at Greeley, Grand Island plants
GREELEY - JBS USA, headquartered in Greeley, is being sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allowing a hostile work environment to be created for its Somali and Muslim employees due to their race, nationality and religion at meatpacking plants in Greeley and Grand Island, Neb.
Two lawsuits were filed Aug. 31 in U.S. District Court in Denver concerning alleged harassment of employees during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in September 2008. The lawsuits also allege that a pattern of discrimination continued in the two plants since that time.
The lawsuits claim supervisors and co-workers at the two JBS plants "threw blood, meat and bones at the Muslim employees and called them offensive names." The suits also allege workers wrote derogatory comments about Somalis and Muslims on the walls of plant restrooms.
The complaints also allege that JBS engaged in a pattern or practice of religious discrimination when it failed to reasonably accommodate its Muslim employees by refusing to allow them to pray according to their religious tenets. They also say that JBS retaliated against the employees by terminating their employment when they requested their evening break be moved so they could pray at sundown during the month of Ramadan.
Chandler Keys, JBS spokesman, could not be reached for comment.
The EEOC said such alleged conduct by JBS violates Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964. There were 83 discrimination complaints from employees at the Greeley plant and 85 from employees in Grand Island, the EEOC said. The charges were jointly investigated by the EEOC,the Civil Rights Division of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission.
"The issue of national origin and religious discrimination in the workplace has become more significant as more immigrants with different ethnic and religious backgrounds join our workforce," said EEOC General Counsel David Lopez. "The laws of this country prohibit harassment based on national origin and mandate that employers accommodate employees' religious practices so long as doing so does not create an undue burden on the employer."
The lawsuits seek back pay and other compensation for the fired workers. |
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McKee Masters Tournament at Mariana Butte
LOVELAND - The McKee Masters Golf Tournament will be held Friday, Sept.
10, at Mariana Butte Golf Course in Loveland. Players will tee off for
18 holes at 8 a.m. in a scramble format.
Registration fees are $125 per individual, $500 per foursome. Golfers
may register by calling 970-593-6038 or online at mckeefoundation.com.
All registration fees and sponsorship contributions will support the
Stepping Stones Adult Day Program at McKee Medical Center in Loveland.
Birdie Sponsors this year include Advanced Medical Imaging Consultants,
Forney Industries, Home State Bank and Townsquare Media.
For more information, contact Dawn Paepke at the McKee Medical Center
Foundation at 970-203-2519 or dawn.papke@bannerhealth.com. |
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Bixpo offers full day of networking, speakers
LOVELAND - In two weeks, Northern Colorado's largest
business-to-business expo brings a full day of networking events and
speakers to the Embassy Suites-Loveland.
Sept. 16 starts at 7:30 a.m. with the Business Leaders Breakfast,
featuring keynote speaker Don Marostica, director of the Colorado Office
of Economic Development and International Trade. After this in-depth
look at economic development plans, recent results for economic
development and regionalization in Northern Colorado, sponsored by First
National Wealth Management, attendees will be treated to a pre-opening
sneak peek at the 120 exhibit booths that make up the Bixpo trade show.
The trade show opens to the public at 10:30 a.m. and continues until 5
p.m., sponsored by A-Train Marketing.
At 11:30 a.m., the Fittest Execs Power Lunch serves up keynote speaker
Lorraine Bosse-Smith, the author of seven books, including "Fit Over
50," "Finally FIT" and "A Healthier, Happier You." She is also a
certified human behavior consultant and personal trainer, and her
appearance is sponsored by Daily Endorphin. At the Power Lunch the
Fittest Execs in our region, based on the results of the four-month
Banner Health challenge completed by 50 health-conscious business
executives, will be recognized.
The fun gets into high gear in the afternoon. Jerry Greenfield, the
Jerry in Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., will be the featured speaker
at the 40/40 Leaders reception, which starts at 3 p.m. In addition to
his high-energy presentation, the reception will recognize NCBR's Class
of 2010 business people under the age of 40 making a difference in our
region. Sponsored by Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, First
National Wealth Management and EKS&H.
The exhibit hall might close at 5 p.m., but it will reopen at 5:30, when
Bixpo Rocks After Hours, sponsored by Public Service Credit Union and
OtterBox. Local bands will play on two stages, food and drink will be
provided, and exhibitors and attendees will enjoy a final couple of
hours of mixing and mingling as Bixpo draws to a close for the sixth
consecutive year.
There is no admission fee to attend the Bixpo trade show, which also
features a series of free marketing workshops. Tickets for the Business
Leaders Breakfast, Fittest Execs Power Lunch, 40/40 Reception and After
Hours are available online at www.ncbr.com.
For more information, contact NCBR Events and Marketing Manager De
Dahlgren at 970-221-5400, ext. 202, or events@ncbr.com. |
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Fort Collins budget information forum Sept. 13
FORT COLLINS - Fort Collins City Manager Darin Atteberry will present
his recommended budget for 2011-12 to the city council on Sept. 3. It
will then be available for public review and comment at
fcgov.com/budget.
On Sept. 13, Atteberry and members of the city's executive team will
share information and answer questions about the budget at an
information forum from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Drake Centre, 802 W. Drake
Road in Fort Collins. This forum is an opportunity for the community to
learn about the choices included in the funded services and proposed
cuts.
The first budget public hearing before city council is set for Sept. 21,
beginning at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave., with a second
hearing on Oct. 19. A first reading of the budget ordinance will be on
Nov. 2, followed by a second reading on Nov. 16.
All council meetings, including work sessions where public input is not
taken, are televised on Comcast Cable Channel 14 and available via live
streaming video and video on demand at fcgov.com/cable14. |
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Monfort College speaker series opens in Denver with Jerry Greenfield
GREELEY - The University of Northern Colorado's Monfort College of
Business is launching the new Building Business Excellence Speaker
Series, featuring national business leaders and experts in a luncheon
format at a variety of venues in Denver and Northern Colorado.
The first event on Wednesday, Sept. 15, features Ben & Jerry's
Homemade Inc. Co-Founder Jerry Greenfield. He will speak on the
entrepreneurial spirit in the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for
the Performing Arts.
On Thursday, Nov. 11, Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., will appear at the
University of Northern Colorado University Center Ballroom to present
"All Business is Personal: Setting the Standard for Engaged Customer
Experiences." He is the author of "The Starbucks Experience: 5
Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary;" "The New Gold
Standard," about service excellence at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co.; and
"When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace."
Bestselling author and personal finance columnist Jane Bryant Quinn is
the third speaker in the series, appearing on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011,
at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center. During her presentation, "The
Economy and Your Money," she will discuss the current economy and the
evolving strategies for building wealth. Her syndicated column appeared
in more than 250 newspapers for more than 25 years. She was also a
columnist for Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and
Bloomberg.com, and hosted her own personal finance program on PBS.
The final event in the series on Wednesday, April 13, at the Embassy
Suites Hotel in Loveland features former U.S. Secretary of Health and
Human Services Mike Leavitt. He will present "What Health Care Reform
Means to You and Your Business," providing insights and understanding
about health care reform and national policy, and how it impacts the
business community
All luncheon events take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $40
per person, per event. Advance purchases for two or more events in the
series cost only $35 per person, per event.
More information about the series is available at
http://mcb.unco.edu/Speakers/BBE. To register, visit
www.uncalumni.org/Events. |
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PVHS receives upgrade from Standard & Poor's
NEW YORK - Standard & Poor's Ratings Services has announced that it
has upgraded the bond rating for Poudre Valley Health System from an A-
to A, noting "marked improvements to an already sound balance sheet" and
a strong business position as evidenced by further growth in market
share.
Standard & Poor's credit committee made the announcement Wednesday,
the second rating increase for PVHS in two years.
S&P's report recognized that PVHS has continued to post excellent
financial results and generate robust cash flow. Factors supporting the A
rating include the locally owned health system's operating results;
continued profitability and maturation of Medical Center of the Rockies
in Loveland, which opened in 2007; excellent liquidity with 270 days
cash on hand; strong coverage of maximum annual debt service; and a
sound, stable and forward-looking management team.
"A focus on quality helps us serve our communities well and prepare for
the future," said Stephanie Doughty, PVHS's chief financial officer, in a
prepared statement. "These improvements have truly been a combined
effort by staff, physicians and volunteers to drive quality, minimize
expenses and reduce capital expenditures."
According to PVHS, president and CEO Rulon Stacey, "Financial stability
and excellence in patient care go hand-in-hand. It's impossible to have
one without the other."
The S&P report also highlights PVHS's long-term strategy of
fostering relationships with other regional providers, including its
recent affiliation with 115 physicians across multiple cities; its joint
venture relationship with Longmont United Hospital to develop a health
campus in Frederick; and Poudre Valley Medical Fitness, scheduled to
open in Windsor in December. |
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