Black Wins $90,000 in Bias Suit

Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday approved a $90,000 payment to one of the county’s highest-ranking black executives after the retiring department head agreed to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit.

The supervisors wrapped up the arrangement between the county and Edgar Hayes, the director of the county Data Processing Department, by waiving a restriction that would have barred Hayes’ new company from competing for county jobs for at least a year.

Hayes, 54, resigned from his $88,004-a-year county job to join Lockheed Datacom as a senior vice president. The firm normally would be prevented from competing for county jobs for a year after hiring a top county official, but Hayes asked the board to waive the restriction as part of an out-of-court settlement of his discrimination case.

Hayes had sued the county, claiming he was paid $7,000 less per year than two deputies and substantially less than other department heads, most of whom are white.

The board, after meeting in executive session, voted 3 to 2 to grant the waiver. Supervisors Mike Antonovich and Pete Schabarum cast the “no” votes.

“I don’t think it was a fair settlement,” said Schabarum who added that Hayes should be forced to choose between accepting the financial settlement or representing his new company on county jobs.

But Supervisor Ed Edelman called the agreement a cost-saving compromise.

“The guy already got his scroll here,” he added, referring to a ceremonial document that acknowledges honorable service.