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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Women Sue Energy Department for Bias

TULSA (CN) - The U.S. Energy Department's Southwestern Power Administration has "never in its history" promoted a woman to senior management, a class action claims in Federal Court. Darlene Low claims she was twice denied permission even "to apply for her supervisor's position," despite suing the SWPA for this in 1999, and settling.

Low says she the SWPA refused her application again in December 2008.

Men with just a few years of federal experience have been promoted to senior management, but several qualified women have been "denied entrance," Low says.

Low has a college education and 32 years of federal experience, nearly 20 of it with the Southwestern Power Administration. She sued on behalf of a class of women, "or at least a subclass of say, college-trained females with a professional background, position wise and geographical experience in multiple agencies and federal departments."

Los claims that "Within the past year past (sic) which partially precipitated an EEO complaint and this lawsuit, two males, each with three years of less of federal experience, have been advanced to a senior management position at SWPA," and "another male, under suspect conditions, has been promoted to a GS-14 supervisor position - District Director - and this individual has absolutely no supervisory experience, what's less technical experience".

She wants the SWPA ordered to comply with Title VII, monitoring, plus back pay and front pay for the class. She is represented by Frederick Low of San Springs, Okla.

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