New Haven, Conn., reverse discrimination suit settled

NEW HAVEN, Conn.—A group of New Haven, Conn., firefighters have accepted settlement offers from the city that total about $2 million to end a long-running reverse discrimination case.

The offers include cash and additional pension benefits to the firefighters who in 2009 won a U.S. Supreme Court case against New Haven after they were passed over for promotions.

The city’s Civil Service Board had refused to certify the results of two fire department promotion examinations on the grounds that the tests might have had a disparate effect on black firefighters.

Of the 17 plaintiffs in the case—Frank Ricci et al. vs. John DeStefano et al.—16 were Caucasian and one was Hispanic.

However, court papers filed Wednesday list 20 plaintiffs who will receive the settlement amounts.

A separate settlement covers the firefighters’ legal fees, according to the court documents.