PORTLAND, TENNESSEE — Several subsidiaries of North American Stamping Group will pay $620,000 to settle a sex harassment and discrimination lawsuit. The international manufacturer of car parts agreed to permit two years of monitoring by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as part of the settlement.

The EEOC filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, under case number 3:25-cv-00066 on September 22, 2026. The agency alleged that North American Stamping Group discriminated against more than a dozen women at its facilities in Portland, Tennessee. The EEOC stated that the discrimination occurred from at least 2018 through 2025.

According to the complaint, the company limited promotional opportunities for women in certain job categories. The EEOC also alleged that North American Stamping Group prevented or discouraged women from participating in apprenticeship programs. The agency further claimed the company failed to respond adequately to sexual harassment complaints, which included unwanted sexual attention and demeaning and belittling sex-based remarks.

The EEOC attempted to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process before filing suit. The resulting consent decree requires North American Stamping Group to provide training on sex discrimination to certain employees. It also mandates that the company post a notice of the settlement in the facilities where the women worked.

Under the terms of the agreement, North American Stamping Group must report on complaints of sex discrimination to the EEOC on a regular basis for the next two years. The consent decree requires that the company’s personnel policies provide for robust anti-discrimination practices.

Acting EEOC General Counsel Christopher Lage addressed the resolution in a statement. "Denying employment opportunities to workers in industrial settings because of their sex is illegal, and the EEOC remains vigilant in opposing sex discrimination based on sex stereotypes and sexual harassment in the workplace," Lage said.

Lage noted the procedural outcome of the case. He said the suit was resolved without the burden and expense of taking sworn testimony from witnesses. He added that the agency viewed the settlement as a step toward systemic improvement. "We appreciate NASG’s efforts in working cooperatively with the EEOC to come to a resolution that we believe will not just benefit the women who experienced sex discrimination and harassment but will also improve NASG’s practices going forward," he said.