"SAN FRANCISCO­ — Farmers Group Inc. will pay $4 million and strive to promote more female lawyers as part of a settlement in a pay discrimination class action brought by current and former female attorneys for the insurer.

The proposed settlement, filed late Tuesday, would split the $4 million payment among approximately 300 women who have worked as claims litigators for Farmers over the past four to five years. It also requires the company to make efforts to move more women attorneys into higher pay grades.

Lori Andrus of Andrus Anderson, who represented the plaintiffs, said the “robust” reforms to the company’s business practices will benefit its women attorneys long term. “That is going to make an impact well beyond Farmers writing some check,” she said."

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