University Daily Kansan / Wednesday. April 29, 1992
5
State Farm to pay $157 million
Settlement of suit ends battle of 814 California women
The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — State Farm Insurance Co. said yesterday that it would pay $157 million to hundreds of California women who contended they were not offered jobs as agents because of their sex.
It was the largest sex-discrimination settlement in U.S. history, according to a federal official and a lawyer for the women.
The settlement, to be shared by more than 814 women, ends a case that began in June 1979, when Muriel Kraszewski sued because she was turned down repeatedly for agent jobs at State Farm offices in Southern California.
Kraszewski said yesterday that eight offices turned her down even though she had 12 years of experience working in insurance offices.
"I wasted two years of my time talking to different agencies and agents," Kraszewski told reporters. "They more or less kept patting me on the head and telling me how well-qualified I was."
Guy Saperstein, an attorney for the women, said less than 1 percent of all people State Farm appointed to agent's jobs in California in 1979 were women. He said more than 50 percent of all agents appointed in recent years were women, as a result of the class-action lawsuit.
Saperstein said national statistics were comparable.
"The State Farm of 1992 is a much different place than it was in 1979 when we became involved," he said.
He and Tanya Brown, a representative for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., said the agreement was the largest sex-discrimination settlement in U.S. history.
Saperstein said each woman would receive at least $150,000, and the average settlement was about $193,000.
Jim Stahly, a representative at State Farm headquarters in Bloomington, Ill., said the company decided to settle because of the growing legal costs of the case.
"It was taking a long time and was very expensive," Stahly said. "More money was going to the system and the legal process than the claimants. We were interested in getting this over with and getting the money to the truly injured."
The settlement, reached late last year, is in addition to the $33 million State Farm has paid to other California women who won or settled sex-discrimination cases against the insurer.
Kraszewski and two other women settled their lawsuit in 1988 for $1.2 million.
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Union Square Kansas Union, level 3 Wednesday, April 29 10 am-2 pm
The KU Athletic Department, in appreciation for the overwhelming fan support of its various programs, announces a special two for one sale!
In conjunction with the Jayhawks' week of baseball with Wichita State and Missouri, the following KU memorabilia offered by the Athletics Department will be available on a "Buy One, Get One Free" basis
"Sixth Man / Beware of the Phog" T-shirts Big Eight Champions '92 T-shirts and caps Assorted KU sweatshirts, tees, and caps Basketball trading cards And More!!!
Where: Allen Fieldhouse Lobby, or Hoglund-Maupin Stadium When: Wednesday, April 29th through Sunday, May 3rd, 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m. (Wed. and Fri. until 10:00p.m.)