DALLAS (AP) – The Dallas City Council has approved a $400,000 racial discrimination settlement with 16 employees of the Dallas Water Utilities Department.

The lawsuit, filed in December, also alleged retaliation.

City attorney Tom Perkins said the settlement, approved Tuesday, is in the best interest of Dallas.

Perkins says Dallas is committed to making sure that all city employees are respected, treated equally, and that the city follows all laws prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.

A North Texas newspaper is reporting that the employees, who are black, Hispanic and Asian, alleged they were threatened and harassed and that racist graffiti was written on the walls of restrooms.

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