Triad to pay $2.8 million to settle federal charges over Lab's COVID-19 vaccine mandate
The EEOC says employees were denied religious and disability accommodations; Triad settled without admitting guilt.
LOS ALAMOS - Triad National Security LLC, the Los Alamos company that manages Los Alamos National Laboratory, agreed to pay $2.8 million and other relief to resolve discrimination and retaliation charges tied to its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Sept. 29.
Multiple charges alleged that since at least 2021 Triad denied employees religious or disability accommodations to its vaccine mandate and testing policy and retaliated against them. The agency said its systemic investigation found reasonable cause to believe Triad discriminated against employees in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The settlement resolves individual charges filed by employees who worked at Triad facilities in Los Alamos. Triad chose to settle voluntarily, without admitting guilt, the agency said.
A two-year agreement reached through pre-litigation conciliation requires Triad to pay back pay and compensatory damages and to train human resources staff on religious and disability accommodation request policies.
Religious and disability accommodations "are not optional," EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said.