ATK to Pay $100,000 to Settle EEOC Race Discrimination Case

Aerospace  and Defense Manufacturer Rejected Applicant on Racial Grounds, Federal Agency  Charged

MINNEAPOLIS - Alliant  Techsystems, Inc. (ATK), a Minnesota-based company that is one of the nation's  largest aerospace and defense manufacturers, will pay $100,000 and furnish  other relief to settle a race discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal  Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.  

According to the  EEOC's suit, Tyeastia Green applied for a job at its Eden Prairie, Minn.,  location, where she would provide technical or IT support for ATK  executives.  Although a recruiter for ATK  initially told her that she had gotten the job, ATK rejected her and hired a  white male instead.  The EEOC contended that  the reasons given by ATK for its decision were a pretext for race discrimination.

Race discrimination  violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court  for the District of Minnesota after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation  settlement through its conciliation process.

The consent decree  settling the suit requires that ATK pay $100,000 to Green and engage in extensive  equitable relief.  Among other things,  ATK is enjoined from further discriminating in hiring based on race and from  retaliating against persons who oppose practices made unlawful under Title  VII.  It will review its workplace  policies to assure that they comply with Title VII and the record- keeping  laws, and, particularly, review a policy that pertains to maintenance of  interview notes.  It will train its  entire staff on the laws against discrimination.  The decree will last three years and apply to  ATK's headquarters in Minnesota and in Virginia.

"We found it was  clear that ATK rejected Green because of the color of her skin, and not because  of her skills, and that's illegal as well as unjust," said John Hendrickson,  regional attorney for the EEOC's Chicago district.  "We congratulate the company for agreeing to  the terms of this decree, particularly the non-monetary relief, which will  protect and benefit its employees."

The EEOC's Chicago District Office is responsible for processing  discrimination charges, administrative enforcement, and the conduct of agency  litigation in Illinois, Wisconsin,  Minnesota, Iowa  and North and South Dakota, with area offices  in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment  discrimination.  Further information  about the EEOC is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov.