Department of Justice Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against North Carolina A...

Department of Justice Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against North
Carolina A & T State University

WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Justice Department
announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with the University
of North Carolina and its constituent institution, North Carolina Agricultural
& Technical State University, that, if approved and entered by the Court, will
resolve a complaint of employment discrimination that was filed by the United
States against the University under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
as amended.

Under the terms of the consent decree, the University will pay $29,000 in
compensatory damages to Ms. Murray and $26,000 in compensatory damages to Ms.
Smith. In addition, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
must revise its sexual harassment policies; provide mandatory training
regarding Title VII's prohibitions against sex discrimination and sexual
harassment; implement and distribute newly revised anti-harassment policies;
retain certain records; not provide negative employment references for Ms.
Murray and Ms. Smith; and be subject to compliance monitoring by the United
States.

"This consent decree sends the important message that sexual harassment
against employees in public universities will not be tolerated and that public
employers must have mechanisms in place to prevent and correct sexual
harassment in a prompt and effective manner," said Grace Chung Becker, Acting
Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
"I am pleased that we were able to work with the University to arrive at a
resolution that will put such mechanisms in place to prevent and correct
sexual harassment."

The United States alleged in its complaint that the University discriminated
against Tasha Murray and Mattie Smith on the basis of sex while they were
employed in the Department of Police and Public Safety at North Carolina
Agricultural & Technical State University, by subjecting them to sexual
harassment that created a hostile work environment and by failing to take
appropriate action to remedy the discrimination. The United States' complaint
was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North
Carolina. Ms. Murray and Ms. Smith had filed charges of employment
discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
alleging sex discrimination. The EEOC investigated the matter and found
reasonable cause to believe that violations of Title VII occurred before
referring the charges to the Justice Department.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment on
the basis of gender, race, color, national origin or religion, and prohibits
retaliation against an employee who opposes an unlawful employment practice,
or because the employee has made a charge or participated in an investigation,
proceeding or hearing under the Act. More information about the Civil Rights
Act and other federal employment laws is available on the Department of
Justice Internet site at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp/index.html.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, +1-202-514-2008,
+1-202-514-1888 (TDD)