( CNN ) -- Outdoor sporting goods retailer Bass Pro Shops is being sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for allegedly engaging in a pattern of hiring discrimination against African-American and Hispanic job applicants , the EEOC said in a statement Wednesday . The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas . The EEOC alleges the discrimination has been ongoing since November 2005 . EEOC Chairperson Jacqueline A. Berrien said the federal agency will protect the rights of job applicants , and that `` excluding qualified individuals from employment because of their race or ethnicity or in retaliation for exercising protected rights are fundamental violations . '' The lawsuit alleges qualified applicants were denied positions such as cashiers , as well as for various management positions . It goes on to claim that managers in Louisiana and in the Houston area believed that `` hiring black candidates did not fit the corporate profile . '' The EEOC also believes that managers at some stores retaliated against employees who were in opposition to the discriminatory practices and in some scenarios fired or forced employees to resign . Bass Pro Shops issued a statement denying the allegations and maintaining that the company had cooperated fully with an EEOC investigation . `` The EEOC 's allegations are contrary to our profound respect for and commitment to our team of experienced and knowledgeable associates , and we are determined to prove them wrong , '' Mike Rowland , vice president for human resources , was quoted as saying in the statement . `` Fundamental fairness and good faith should require that the EEOC reveal the evidence on which its claims are based before filing a lawsuit that will be long , expensive and disruptive , '' Rowland said in the statement .
EEOC claims outdoors retailer discriminated against black , Hispanic job applicants . Lawsuit also claims managers retaliated against people opposed to practices . Comment: