Ohio Firm Settles Hiring Suit

August 28, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A Cleveland company has agreed to settle a federal court lawsuit by paying nearly $1 million after being hit with charges that it refused to give black people and women fair job consideration .

S&Z Tool and Die Co. signed the settlement pact in the suit filed on behalf of Molly Baron-Prodan who complained that at least 20 black people and women were only hired for clerical jobs between 1999 and 2000 because of the firm’s discriminatory policies, according to the Associated Press.

While legally admitting no wrongdoing, S&Z agreed to also train its workers on applicable discrimination laws and to hire a new employee to monitor its progress.

S&Z employs between 220 and 250 people but has never had more than 10 women or 10 black workers, EEOC lawyer Lawrence Mays said, according to the news report.

Baron-Prodan is set to receive $90,000 and a job offer as part of the settlement.

The 20 people denied fair job consideration are now eligible for damages from an $850,000 fund the company agreed to establish. The government and S&Z will work together to hire someone to handle and evaluate the claims. No one will receive more than $45,000, according to the news report.

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