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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A city and county in Southern Georgia were sued today by the Justice Department for discriminating against women in their fire department hiring process.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia, alleges that the City of Alma and Bacon County, through a jointly operated entity known as the Alma-Bacon County Fire and Emergency Medical Service, failed or refused to hire women into full-time Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician or Firefighter/Paramedic positions because of their gender.

The complaint is based on a charge of discrimination filed by Pamela F. Starling in July 1996, with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In her charge, Ms. Starling alleged that she repeatedly had applied to the Alma-Bacon County Fire and EMS for a full time position since 1993, but had been denied a job because she was a woman. After finding reasonable cause to believe Ms. Starling's allegations of discrimination were true and unsuccessfully attempting to conciliate the matter, the EEOC referred the charge the Justice Department. After its own investigation, the Justice Department decided to file suit.

"No one should be denied the opportunity to work solely because of his or her gender," said Bill Lann Lee, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. "The Justice Department is committed to eradicating sex discrimination in public employment."

Today's lawsuit asks the court to enter an order requiring Alma and Bacon County to provide all appropriate relief available under Title VII to Ms. Starling and all other women who have suffered loss as a result of the alleged discrimination, and to take other appropriate measures to overcome the effects of the discrimination.

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