Proposed settlement reached in sex-discrimination lawsuit against Virginia shipyard

Plaintiffs in a gender-discrimination lawsuit filed against a Virginia shipyard have asked a federal judge to give preliminary approval to a settlement.

A class-action lawsuit was filed in 2013 by women working at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair Inc.

The women say in the lawsuit that they suffered pay and promotion discrimination and experienced sexual harassment. BAE has denied wrongdoing.

If approved by the court, the settlement would share $3 million among 177 women. It would also require that promotion decisions be based on job related criteria, such as practical and written tests. And it would prohibit supervisors from imposing additional subjective requirements.

The settlement is unopposed by BAE.