NBC New York- A federal judge says the amount of back wages owed to blacks and Latinos impacted by discrimination in New York City’s firefighter entrance exams could be more than $128 million.

In a decision Thursday, U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said there would have to be hearings held to determine how much individual claimants would receive, which could lower the total amount the city would have to pay.

Garaufis had ruled that the Fire Department of New York discriminated against minorities in its entrance exam. Some minorities who might have otherwise been hired weren’t, and others who were hired might have been hired sooner.

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