HiLine Electric Co., a Dallas-based industrial supply business, will pay $210,000 and furnish other relief to settle an age discrimination suit brought by the EEOC. The settlement resolved agency claims that the employer included an age-based criterion in its recruiting and hiring process.  

According to the EEOC's suit, an internal recruiter informed the agency that company executives provided her a form with a list of bulleted criteria/considerations for position candidates.  This form included a printed text box, referred to as the "HiLine box," listing an age-based hiring consideration.  Upon receipt of additional information regarding instructions for screening, the EEOC alleged that the criteria HiLine used resulted in the non-selection of applicants who were over 50 and who appeared to be qualified for the position.  Eight applicants, who were over 50 years of age when they unsuccessfully sought employment as territory managers, were identified as having been affected by the company's practice.

A consent decree signed by the Federal District Judge resolves all claims in the case.  In addition to the monetary damages, the three-year decree also provides for injunctive relief such as training and a notice posting.  HiLine agreed that it shall not in the future prepare, produce, publish or provide to any recruiter, manager, supervisor or any other employee, materials or lists of criteria in which chronological age or any proxy for age is a consideration for recruitment, hiring or promotion.