At issue is whether Texaco's agreement in 1997 to let the commission scrutinize its employment and promotion practices applies to hourly workers.

In making that complaint, she became perhaps the highest-ranking woman on Wall Street to challenge publicly the industry's pay and promotion practices.

He added that the department submits periodic reports to the Justice Department about its hiring and promotion practices.

The Massachusetts Democrat said that little appeared to have changed in the 15 years since the committee first held hearings on promotion practices by pharmaceutical companies.

Four drug companies were asked to testify on their promotion practices, he said, but all declined.

Those problems have shown up, over and over, in studies of the company's hiring and promotion practices.

The numbers jumped again in the late 1990s after a report criticized the institute's hiring and promotion practices as they related to women.

Mr. Ensley said the settlement of the lawsuit would force the city to scrutinize its hiring and promotion practices.

In 2011 the company established a business book publishing and promotion practice.

Black agents have threatened a lawsuit against the bureau over recruitment, hiring and promotion practices they regard as discriminatory.