May 21, 2013
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- BP and its contractors have agreed to pay up to $5.4 million to resolve complaints that some women weren't considered for temporary jobs responding to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill because of their gender.
The agreement announced late Thursday ends an investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without the federal agency filing a lawsuit over the allegations.
The EEOC says it hasn't determined that London-based BP PLC violated any anti-discrimination laws. BP denies it engaged in any wrongdoing.
An undetermined number of women from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida who applied for BP spill response jobs will be eligible for shares of the money.
The EEOC said its probe was based on complaints by several women in Louisiana and Alabama.
