Iowa City federal contractor settles discrimination lawsuit involving hiring practices

The U.S. Department of Labor announced Thursday government contractor NCS Pearson Inc. in Iowa City has settled a hiring discrimination lawsuit involving 67 Asian job applicants, according to a news release.

The allegations involved the 67 applicants who were rejected for associate software developer positions at NCS Pearson, according to the department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. Under the terms of a conciliation agreement, the contractor will pay $100,000 in back wages and interest to the 67 job applicants, and will offer associate software developer positions and retroactive seniority to at least four class members as positions become available.

The company will also revise its selection policies and procedures to ensure equal employment opportunities for future applicants, according to the news release.

During a scheduled compliance review, NCS Pearson violated an executive order in 2009 by using a hiring process that resulted in systemic discrimination against Asian job applicants at its Iowa City facility.

"All workers deserve a fair shot to compete for and secure good jobs, and it is incumbent upon companies that do business with taxpayer dollars to make sure that the doors of opportunity are truly open to everyone," said Patricia Shiu, director of Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and a member of the federal Interagency Working Group on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. "President Obama has articulated his commitment to protecting the civil rights of our nation's rapidly growing Asian American communities, and I'm pleased that we were able to work out a settlement which will provide financial relief and jobs for workers who were denied their fair shot."

NCS Pearson, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British company Pearson PLC, holds more than $12 million in federal contracts to conduct research and development for the U.S. Department of Education. The company provides educational materials, electronic learning programs and test development, processing and scoring services to educational institutions and corporations around the world.

For general information, call the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' toll-free helpline at 800-397-6251. Additional information is available at

http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/.