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 Lead attorney Susan Brackshaw"These women have struggled for a very long time"  real 28k |
The women had claimed they were turned down for work at the US Information Agency and the Voice of America radio station in favour of men.
The settlement was announced in Washington on Wednesday after years of litigation. It is the biggest award in the history of the Civil Rights Act.
The women had complained that over a range of jobs as technicians, editors and broadcasters, they had been denied work.
 Voice of America is the US Government's overseas broadcaster
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"At the time, I just didn't know how to respond. Now, I have a way of responding, and this is the victory that we all celebrate today. It is a delicious victory."
The USIA, now part of the State Department, was an independent agency which promoted US interests overseas. Voice of America was its broadcast branch.
Test scores altered
Previous court hearings had heard how systems had been rigged in favour of men - in some cases test scores had been altered and male candidates pre-selected.
The government decided to settle after losing 46 of ther 48 cases which had already gone to trial.
"This is one of the happiest days of my life. We have won the war, a just war," said Jahanara Hasan, who was rejected for a broadcasting position in favour of a less qualified man.
 Dona de Sanctis: Lost out to a man
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"When I learned that this was not just happening to me but to 1,100 other women, I had no doubt that I was going to be part of this law suit and have the truth be told," she said.
Each of the women will get about $500,000 in compensation.
This settlement is still subject to final approval by a judge.
'Discrimination continues'
The women's lawyer, Bruce Fredrickson, said: "We're not under the misconception that discrimination is ended today.
"We hope the United States Government takes a serious powerful message from this. It's a half-a-billion dollars that they're paying today."
Lead attorney Susan Brackshaw told the BBC that the legal team had to analyse two million pieces of paper during the marathon battle.
But she said she believed the ruling was a turning point for the US Government and that the victory would serve as a warning to other government agencies and employers across America.
Wilma Lewis, attorney for the District of Columbia, said the large settlement acknowledged the length of time involved, the relatively high-paying positions at issue, the number of women, and the accrual of interest.
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