Group Files Lawsuit against Local Government for Gender- and Race-based Policy

June 12, 2009

Sacramento, California - A political watchdog group on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to reverse its new policy that will award 6.75 percent of federally-assisted contracts to women and workers from ethnic minorities.

In a statement, the Pacific Legal Foundation said the policy violates the federal and state law which protects employees from discrimination and prevents gender and racial preference in employment, federally-assisted programs, and education.

Meanwhile, Caltrans spokesman Mark DeSio said the policy has been created and enacted to give opportunities for “disadvantaged business enterprise”.

In response to this statement, the watchdog group said the government can find other ways to aid these enterprises and workers from ethnic minorities.