KARK reports a Labor Department announcement that Hewlett Packard has agreed to pay $750,000 to about 500 people to settle a complaint that it discriminated against minorities in hiring for inside sales jobs at its operation in Conway from 2008 to 2010.

The action affects 504 qualified applicants – including 349 African Americans, one American Indian/Alaskan Native, 109 Asians, 44 Hispanics and one Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander – who the company rejected for Inside Sales Representative positions at its Conway location.

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HP denies liability, but will pay back wages and interest to those affected. It also has agreed to put 33 of those into jobs, with retroactive seniority, as jobs become available.

The settlement arose from the Labor Department’s arm that monitors federal contract compliance. HP did some $200 million worth of work with the company during the time studied in a variety of areas.

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