AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Justice Department says it has reached an agreement with Austin city officials to settle allegations that the Austin Fire department discriminated against minority applicants seeking firefighter jobs.
A Justice Department statement Monday says the agreement still needs court approval. Federal officials had argued that Austin used a written test that eliminated black and Hispanic entry-level firefighter applicants disproportionately.
The agreement requires the city to devise a screening and selection process that passes court tests for fairness and equality. The city also will pay $780,000 in back pay to entry-level applicants deemed as having been damaged by the discrimination.
