DOJ sues Entergy for failing to provide hiring data

The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday sued Entergy Corp, accusing the utility and power supply company of refusing to provide documentation of its adherence to affirmative-action rules, something all federal contractors are required by law to do.

A complaint filed July 17 in federal court in New Orleans alleges that Entergy has refused for more than two years to provide the U.S. Department of Labor with its records and other info information related to affirmative action. Entergy is accused of refusing to submit its written affirmative-action programs and other records, in connection with a routine compliance review of 11 properties in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, since May 2012.

DOJ officials said that as a federal contractor Entergy cannot discriminate against employees and job applicants on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

The Department of Justice estimated that Entergy’s earnings exceed $1 billion in taxpayer-funded contracts to provide services to the government.

Entergy’s refusal to comply with the Labor Department’s requests for documents “undermines the public trust that taxpayers expect in ensuring that public funding is used in a manner that complies with both federal law and agency regulations,” Jocelyn Samuels, acting Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement.

An Entergy spokesman said the company does not discuss pending litigation.

The DOJ is seeking a permanent injunction requiring Entergy to turn over required materials.

Entergy said it employs roughly 14,000 people, has electric power businesses in Arkansas, Louisi­ana, Mississippi and Texas, and operates six nuclear power plants.

The case is U.S. v. Entergy Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, No. 14-01644.

This article originally published in the July 21, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.