Avis Denies Charges of Bias Against Jews

Avis Rent a Car Inc. has denied it told employees to discriminate against Jews, saying the allegations were part of a campaign by lawyers trying to intimidate the Garden City, N.Y.-based company into settling a racial discrimination case. “The allegation that Avis instructed employees to discriminate against Jews is ridiculous and completely false,” the company, a unit of HFS Inc., said. Avis said the lawyers apparently wanted to force a settlement of a bias lawsuit filed by three black women last year against Avis and a franchisee. The car-rental company claimed the lawyers were using the media to “sully Avis’ reputation. . . .” Avis was responding to a USA Today report that supervisors told workers at Avis’ customer service center in Tulsa, Okla., to avoid giving corporate accounts or discounts to certain Jewish-owned businesses. Shares of HFS fell $1.125 to close at $66.125 on the New York Stock Exchange.