Kodak Pays $16,600 in Settling Religious Discrimination Suit

The Eastman Kodak Co. has paid $16,600 to three former employees who charged the firm with religious discrimination.

The three are Seventh-day Adventists, whose religion does not permit them to work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. They said they had each worked the third shift with Saturdays off for 8 to 15 years before Kodak eliminated the third shift, thus forcing them to work on Saturdays, be fired or resign.

In a complaint filed with the New York State Division of Human Rights, the three men said the company policy was unfair to Sabbath observers. They also charged that Kodak made no effort to accommodate their religious observance.

In the settlement, Kodak agreed to pay $11,600 to Phillip Johnson, $7,800 to Neftall Alvarez and $7,200 to William Manzer, all residents of Rochester, N.Y., without admitting to any violation of the state Human Rights Law.

Kodak also said that if the men wish to be considered for re-employment, they will be given priority over other applicants for jobs for which they are qualified and will be given full credit for their previous service.