The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has settled a class-wide discrimination lawsuit against aerospace and industrial product manufacturer Hamilton Sundstrand charging that a class of Hispanic employees at the company's Grand Junction, Colorado, facility was harassed and subjected to a hostile work environment based on their national origin.

The consent decree, a voluntary agreement between EEOC and Hamilton Sundstrand, provides for $1.25 million to resolve the lawsuit on behalf of 12 class members who were harmed by the alleged unlawful conduct. In addition to the monetary relief, the consent decree requires Hamilton Sundstrand to:

* Provide training on the requirements of federal anti-discrimination laws, with appropriate levels of information presented to non-supervisory employees, managers, and human resource employees.

* Appoint an EEO Coordinator to ensure compliance with the consent decree and oversee the company's investigation of employee complaints of discrimination, including retaliation complaints made by employees after reporting possible violations of anti- discrimination laws.

* Review and revise policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal anti- discrimination laws, as well establishing and maintaining an effective complaint procedure for all employees.

"This settlement represents a major step forward in the EEOC establishing a strong presence on the Western Slope," said Joseph H. Mitchell, Regional Attorney in the EEOC's Denver District Office. "Employees and employers alike need to be aware that discrimination laws are vigorously enforced throughout our jurisdiction and across the country - not just in Denver."

According to its web site, www.hamiltonsundstrand.com, the Windsor Locks, Conn.- based company, a United Technologies Corporation subsidiary, "is among the largest global suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and industrial products" and is "a major supplier for international space programs." The company, which averages $3.9 billion in annual sales and employs approximately 16,000 worldwide, designs and manufactures aerospace systems for commercial, regional, corporate and military aircraft.