The federal government has accused a California moving company of “age discrimination,” demanding the family-run small business pay a $15 million fine for hiring younger workers. When Meathead Movers founder Aaron Steed spoke out about the injustice of this action, the feds hit him with a gag order, telling Aaron to keep quiet…or else.
The Goldwater Institute is now going to find out why the federal government is targeting this American success story.
Meathead Movers—and the more than 300 people it employs—embodies the American Dream. Founded in 1997 as a small, family-run operation, it has grown into California’s largest independently owned moving company. Its success is built on a culture of hard work, personal responsibility, and exceptional customer service—symbolized by its practice of employees jogging to and from the truck when not carrying furniture. Along the way, the company has given countless workers the opportunity to develop strong job skills and a solid work ethic.
How did this American success story end up in the crosshairs of a powerful federal agency?
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has accused Meathead Movers of “age discrimination” in its hiring practices and marketing materials. On its face, the allegation is absurd. Moving companies, by their nature, require individuals who can safely lift and carry heavy objects for long periods of time. Naturally, younger individuals may be more physically equipped to perform these tasks—but that does not mean Meathead Movers has discriminated against anyone capable of doing the job. On the contrary, the company has and continues to employ numerous older workers.
Indeed, notably absent from the government’s attack against Meathead Movers are actual complaints, filed by real people. After eight years of investigation (the ordeal started under the Obama administration), the EEOC is instead pursuing an “agency-initiated” lawsuit—meaning the case wasn’t triggered by individual complaints. This is exceptionally rare: only eight lawsuits in the entire country—an incredibly small share of all EEOC lawsuits—are filed this way. It appears the EEOC, unable to find credible complaints, simply decided to pursue Meathead Movers anyway—seeking a staggering and financially crippling $15 million in penalties.
“The EEOC is demanding that we pay an amount that we simply can’t afford for something that we absolutely did not do wrong,” Aaron says.
And the overreach doesn’t stop there.
In an unprecedented action, just last month, the EEOC issued a gag order demanding that Aaron and his company cease all public communication—including social media posts—about the case, under threat of additional legal action. In other words, the government is now trampling on the First Amendment rights of the company’s founder, simply because it doesn’t like that the company is sharing the truth about the government’s actions in this case.
“There’s no one that stood up and said, ‘Meathead Movers discriminated against me,’” Aaron adds. “The EEOC brought this action upon themselves against my company.”
The Goldwater Institute is determined to find out why the federal government is targeting Meathead Movers.
Last month, the Institute submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the EEOC, seeking records of complaints filed against the company, as well as documentation of similar enforcement actions. If the government refuses to turn over the records, the Institute is prepared to take legal action to compel their release.
Meanwhile, despite these relentless attacks, Meathead Movers hasn’t wavered. The company continues to employ hundreds of workers and uphold its proud tradition of community service—most recently stepping up to lead a disaster relief effort for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
The American public deserves to know why the EEOC is pursuing what appears to be a baseless attack against a model small business. And if the agency won’t provide answers voluntarily, we’ll get them—in court if necessary.
Jon Riches is the Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute.
