Insurance broker Willis Group Holdings said a federal court inNew York has given preliminary approval to the settlement of agender discrimination class action suit.
|The suit, filed against the company in 2001, raised issues ofgender discrimination in compensation and promotion during theperiod of Oct. 31, 1998 through Dec. 31, 2001. It affectedemployees of Willis of New York, Willis of New Jersey and Willis ofMassachusetts.
|Willis said it denies any discrimination took place.
|The proposed consent decree, if approved, will create a fund ofapproximately $8.5 million that will be distributed to certaincurrent and former female employees of those offices. Thesettlement was reached in June 2007 and was reflected in thesecond-quarter financials.
|The firm said 188 women, both current and former employees, wereinvolved in the class action.
|“Willis is an employer which values diversity,” Susan Sztuka,global group director of human resources, said in a statement. “Wereward and respect each and every associate equally. It's importantto note that the alleged claims of this lawsuit date back to1998-2001 and we are pleased to have it settled.”
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