Unit Drilling Company, a nationwide oil drilling company, will pay $400,000 and furnish other relief to settle a systemic sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC. The EEOC had alleged that Unit Drilling refused to hire any women nationwide on its oil rigs.

According to the EEOC's suit, when women applied for jobs at Unit Drilling, they were told that the company did not hire women. Rejected female applicants testified that they were told by Unit employees that the company did not hire women because it only had "man camps," that women were "too pretty" and that their presence would "distract the men," the EEOC said.

On the eve of trial, Unit Drilling and the EEOC signed a consent decree resolving the case. Under the decree, Unit Drilling will pay $400,000 to five women whom, the EEOC alleges, Unit Drilling refused to hire because they are women. In addition, Unit Drilling will change its policies, provide training against sex discrimination, post anti-discrimination notices, and provide detailed hiring information to the EEOC, which will monitor Unit Drilling's compliance with the decree.

Hiring discrimination is a very high priority issue for the EEOC. The investigation showed that women have not been able to get in the door to be considered or hired at Unit Drilling. This complete refusal to consider or hire any women is a blatant violation of federal law. Employers need to consider all applicants for all jobs.

EEOC Regional Attorney said, "The women in this case were qualified and interested in working on oil rigs as floor hands in order to support themselves and their families. It is shocking that in these times – over 50 years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law – qualified women were not even considered for these high-paying jobs simply because of their gender. We expect that this settlement will make Unit Drilling change its practices and finally consider and hire qualified women on its rigs."