MetLife to Pay $32.5M in Race Bias Class Action Settlement

A U.S. District Court has given the final approval to a $32.5 million settlement of a racial discrimination case against MetLife filed by African-American former MetLife financial services representatives.

As mentioned in Insurance Business, the former employees filed the case against the insurer in 2015. They accused the firm of maintaining “a racially biased corporate culture and stereotypical views about the skills, abilities, and potential of African Americans that affect personnel,” a court docket said.

Marcus Creighton, the chief plaintiff, said MetLife denied him advancement opportunities, even though he was a “successful, experienced FSR and well-qualified to join management,” the document added.

The terms order that $7.15 million of the settlement will be paid to class counsel Stowell & Friedman, while the remaining $25.35 million will go to the class members.

MetLife denied and continues to deny all of the allegations and claims asserted, according to the settlement agreement.