State to pay $2 million to Mattawa day-care workers in discrimination case

State to pay $2 million to Mattawa day-care workers in discrimination case

Tools

Story Published: Aug 20, 2008 at 6:16 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 21, 2008 at 12:58 AM PDT

By Associated Press

MATTAWA, Wash. (AP) - Day-care operators in this central Washington town have reached a $2 million settlement after claiming in a lawsuit that they were mistreated by state investigators, according to lawyers who represented them.

The operators plan to go forward with a case against the Grant County town in which they have accused local officials of conspiring with state to discriminate against Hispanic workers, according to Ty Duhamel of Columbia Legal Services, a legal aid organization.

Money to be paid by the state under the class-action settlement, which was approved by U.S. District Judge Edward F. Shea, goes to 30 day-care providers.

According to the lawsuit, investigators from the state Department of Social and Health Services raided day-cares in Mattawa between 2001 and 2003, entering the women's homes and demanding paperwork without obtaining search warrants. Instead, the state inspectors relied on an administrative subpoena issued by a department supervisor.

In the settlement the state agreed to provide notice of a pending investigation and inform day-care operators in writing that they have the right to refuse entry.

DSHS no longer oversees day-care licensing, which has been reassigned to the Department of Early Learning.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice reached an agreement with Mattawa, requiring the town to establish a list of interpreters and guidelines for their use as well as ensuring that vital municipal documents are translated into Spanish, among other things.

The agreement resolved two complaints accusing the town and police of failing to provide access to interpreters for Spanish-speaking residents who were victims of domestic violence.

Weather & Traffic

Icon
Current Temp 64.0 °F
A Few Clouds
More Weather

Weather & Traffic

More Weather

On Demand

Resources and info you need to prepare for the switch to DTV.

Stay Connected

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Marketplace