EEOC Dealt Setback in Morgan Stanley Case

The New York offices of the federal agency suing Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co. in a sex discrimination case were destroyed in the attack on the World Trade Center, but one plaintiff’s lawyer said the loss of case files is only a temporary setback. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which Monday filed suit against Morgan Stanley for sex discrimination, is based in Washington but had offices at 7 World Trade Center. The 47-story building collapsed after the attack.

The EEOC sued Morgan Stanley on behalf of Allison Schieffelin and as many 100 other female employees.

Morgan Stanley has denied all charges.

The EEOC probably will set up operations in Newark, N.J., and proceedings in the Schieffelin case may be delayed. But Wayne Outten, Schieffelin’s attorney, didn’t think the situation would prevent the Morgan Stanley suit from going forward.