Consolidated Edison Company of New York (Con Edison) will pay $3.8 million to resolve allegations of ongoing sexual harassment and discrimination against women in field positions.

The agreement — reached with New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — requires Con Edison to reserve up to $3.8 million to be distributed among eligible settlement group members – over 300 female workers employed in field jobs – through a claims process to be administered by the Attorney General’s Office and the EEOC.

“Sadly, the fight against gender discrimination and harassment in the workplace is ongoing, and we will use every tool we can to make it a thing of the past,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “This case should send a clear message to employers across New York State: All women, especially those working in male-dominated workplaces, deserve respect and equal treatment—as the law, basic decency, and the success of our economy require.”

“These women signed up for strenuous work when they took these important jobs – they did not sign up for demeaning job assignments, denied promotional opportunities, and harassment,” said EEOC District Director Kevin Berry. “The EEOC will fight to ensure equality in all workplaces.”

Con Edison provides electric, gas, and steam service to approximately 3.4 million customers in New York City and Westchester County.

Both the EEOC and Attorney General Schneiderman’s Civil Rights Bureau launched an investigation into complaints made by women working in field positions at Con Edison about ongoing sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

The women workers, all of whom were employed at Con Edison between 2006 and 2014, alleged that the company failed to address widespread harassment and discrimination faced by women in field positions by male co-workers and supervisors.

These women work with men in power stations, manholes, and other physically strenuous field positions assuring the public’s access to electricity.

While working, the women alleged that they were:

* Denied, delayed, and given subpar on-the-job training as compared to their male peers;

* Assigned menial “make work” tasks and isolated by male co-workers in group work settings;

* Refused or stonewalled when seeking admission to classes necessary for promotions;

* Not provided tools or safety gear in situations where male co-workers were supplied both;

* Denied adequately sanitary and private restroom, shower, and changing facilities;

* Subjected to disparate and excessive discipline as compared to male co-workers who engaged in comparable conduct;

* Given less positive performance evaluations than their male counterparts for doing comparable work; and

* Denied overtime assignments despite eligibility under collective bargaining agreements.

The complaints alleged that Con Edison failed to take effective action to improve or prevent such discriminatory working conditions and failed to meaningfully enforce its internal equal employment opportunity policies concerning gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, and non-retaliation.

The women in field positions stated that they faced retaliation when they complained to supervisors or to Con Edison’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion about their work conditions.