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Troupe settles with EEOC

Thursday, April 22, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.

Cirque du Soleil, the circus company known for its elaborate theatrics in Las Vegas and other cities, has agreed to pay $600,000 to settle U.S. government allegations that it improperly fired an aerial gymnast for being HIV-positive.

The Montreal-based company also agreed to appoint someone to train employees on U.S. discrimination laws, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which negotiated the settlement on behalf of gymnast Matthew Cusick. Cirque du Soleil has 2,700 employees worldwide.

"When I was fired from Cirque du Soleil, it was the worst day of my life," Cusick said in a statement issued by the EEOC. "Today is nearly the exact opposite because I stood up for what I knew was right and changed one of the world's most popular entertainment companies."

Cirque earlier offered to rehire Cusick. It initially said health concerns for other performers were behind its refusal to allow Cusick to perform.

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