CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago spokeswoman says the city is working as quickly as possible to comply with an order to hire 111 black applicants who passed a Chicago Fire Department exam 16 years ago.
Jennifer Hoyle says the city has made some initial
strides toward contacting the 6,000 applicants covered by a court order entered
Wednesday.
Under the order, the city must hire 111 applicants
and pay $30 million in back pay to the rest.
The hires are expected to enter the Chicago Fire
Training Academy by the end of March.
Before being hired, they must pass the physical
abilities test, background check, drug test and medical exam.
The order ends years of litigation involving the
1995 entrance exam, which a federal judge has ruled discriminated against black
applicants.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
