Amtrak to Pay Fine in Hiring Suit

Amtrak agreed to pay $8 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the passenger railroad of discriminating against blacks in hiring and promotion. The money would be split among some 600 current and former black managers and would-be managers, an undetermined number of others who were denied promotions and applicants who were never hired, said Michael Lieder, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. The class-action settlement, covering alleged victims of discrimination since the start of 1995, must be approved in federal court in Washington, where the suit was filed last August. Amtrak did not admit to any wrongdoing but agreed to make substantial changes in its hiring and promotions process.