New York - Internet dating site eHarmony.com said on Wednesday that it has settled a discrimination lawsuit in New Jersey, and will begin accepting personal ads from gays and lesbians for the first time. A New Jersey man sued the eight-year-old company in 2005 after it rejected his personal ad; the company did not previously accept any ads from gay people.

The state of New Jersey took up the case last year, and the Attorney General's office found that eHarmony had violated the state's anti-discrimination laws.

The company, which was absolved by a court of any wrongdoing, now has until March 31 to launch a new gay dating site; it must also pay the state $50,000, and $5,000 to the man who originally brought the suit, 46-year-old Eric McKinley.

The company plans to launch a separate site called "Compatible Partners," and offer 10,000 free six-month subscriptions to interested parties.

"We believed that the complaint resulted from an unfair characterization of our business," eHarmony said in a statement. "We ultimately decided it was best to settle with the Attorney General since litigation outcomes can be unpredictable."

Related Links:
http://www.eharmony.com/press/release/14

http://snipurl.com/5zct5 (Silicon Alley Insider)

http://snipurl.com/5zcsi (Philadelphia Inquirer)

http://www.eharmony.com/njfaq

http://www.compatiblepartners.net