News Flash: Government Agrees To Landmark Half-Billion-Dollar Discrimination Settlement

In a record-setting settlement, the federal government has agreed to pay $508 million to more than 1,000 women who claimed the now defunct U.S.Information Agency denied them jobs based upon their sex. The women had applied forpositions as writers, editors, technicians and foreign-language broadcasters between 1974and 1984. The government was also ordered to pay the women nearly $23 million in back pay, interest and retirement benefits. The women will receive an average of about $500,000 each.