Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the largest U.S. auto-rental company measured by outlets, is accused in a federal lawsuit of discriminating against a black job applicant in Hawaii. Enterprise Rent-A-Car
sued over Hawaii hiringStar-Bulletin Staff and Wire
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Enterprise's Honolulu facility refused in 1998 to hire a well-qualified black candidate and filled eight positions with non-blacks with less education and work experience.
The applicant, who was a Mililani resident at the time, has since moved to the Pacific Northwest to find work, said EEOC Honolulu District Director Timothy A. Riera.
"Hiring should be based upon merit and qualifications, not the color of your skin," said Susan L. McDuffie, EEOC San Francisco District Director.
Christy Conrad, a spokeswoman at Enterprise, said she was not aware of the suit and had no immediate comment.
Closely held Enterprise, based in St. Louis, has 4,398 U.S. rental locations.
The EEOC seeks damages for the job applicant and an injunction to prevent future discrimination.
Paulo C. Zandamela, who applied for a management trainee position at Enterprise, had a bachelor's degree and was in his first year of graduate school for a master's in business administration.
Those hired by Enterprise were recent college graduates and some had less job experience, the EEOC said.
The suit was filed after efforts to settle the matter failed, McDuffie said.
Bloomberg News contributed to this report