Ford Motor Settles Discrimination Suit

Ford Motor Co. has settled a lawsuit alleging that it discriminated against white males as part of a diversity initiative aggressively pursued under former Chief Executive Jacques Nasser.

Terms of the settlement in the case--one of several recent disputes alleging age, gender and race discrimination at the world’s second-largest auto maker behind General Motors Corp.--were not disclosed.

In his suit, filed in June in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit, John Kovacs alleged that he was passed over repeatedly for promotion because of Ford’s diversity initiative.

Ford has vigorously defended its hiring and personnel practices in the past, saying there was nothing wrong with efforts to foster diversity within its work force.

Ford shares rose 1 cent to $16.10 on the NYSE.