EEOC, Texaco May Be Close to Settlement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is close to reaching an agreement with Texaco Inc. ahead of a hearing today over plans to assure the company’s compliance with anti-discrimination law, an EEOC lawyer said. The plans are related to a tentative settlement reached in November between Texaco and lawyers representing black employees who sued the oil company alleging they were discriminated against in pay and promotions. Lawyers said they planned at today’s hearing to present a status report on the settlement talks and that the judge was not expected to rule on the proposal. In November, Texaco tentatively agreed to settle the suit by paying $176.1 million and establishing an “equality and tolerance” task force. However, the EEOC petitioned the court to intervene in the case. A final settlement has been delayed as Texaco and the EEOC negotiate the possibility of a monitoring role for the federal agency.