EEOC AND CHEAP TICKETS REACH $1.1 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT SUIT

LOS ANGELES  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Cheap Tickets, a leading retailer of discounted leisure travel products, today announced a $1.1 million settlement of the EEOC class action sexual harassment lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against Cheap Tickets, Inc.

The suit (EEOC v. Cheap Tickets, et al., Case Number CV-02-7117-WJR (VBKx), filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that, dating back to 2000, female agents working at Cheap Tickets' Los Angeles Call Center (which closed in September 2001) were subjected to a sexually hostile work environment by their supervisors. Moreover, EEOC says that the woman who filed the initial discrimination charge was subjected to retaliation.  The settlement includes a provision for monetary relief to any unidentified victims.

"The EEOC will continue to vigorously uphold the requirements of Title VII which entitles all female employees to a workplace free of harassment and particularly those women subjected to retaliation for standing up to harassers," said Olophius E. Perry, Director of the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office.

Gregory Gochanour, the Acting Regional Attorney for the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office, said:  "The Commission recognizes that many employees may feel that they are taking considerable risks with their jobs in complaining about discrimination so I am particularly pleased that through this settlement the Commission was able to obtain significant relief for victims who previously may have been afraid to come forward."

Kris Kentera, Vice President, overseeing Cheap Tickets' contact center operations, said:"Cheap Tickets maintains a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination in any form and remains committed to providing a positive work environment, through strict policies and ongoing training, that values diversity and provides equal employment opportunity for all employees. We have entered into this amicable agreement because we believe it is in the best interest of our company and our former employees to put this matter to rest, and emphasize that this settlement does not in any way concede wrong doing on behalf of our company."

In addition to enforcing Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin, the EEOC enforces the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Equal Pay Act; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; prohibitions against discrimination affecting individuals with disabilities in the federal government; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.  Further information about the Commission is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.