Patterson-UTI Announces Settlement with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC. (NASDAQ: PTEN) today announced that its subsidiary, Patterson-UTI Drilling Company LLC (the "Company"), has reached an agreement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to resolve previously disclosed allegations that originated from claims from field-based employees a number of years ago. Rather than pursuing costly litigation to dispute past claims, the Company's leadership team chose to work with the Commission to institute additional human resources best practices and enter into a no-fault $12.26 million settlement. The settlement terms were approved by a federal judge on April 17, 2015. The Company encourages those who are eligible to submit claims to participate in the settlement when they receive notice from the settlement administrator in approximately 60 days.Andy Hendricks, the Company's Chief Executive Officer since 2012, stated, "We take this matter very seriously and are pleased to have reached a resolution. We have built a culture of respect, diversity and equal opportunity in our company and have zero tolerance for anything less." The Company has instituted strong policies, training programs and recruiting initiatives to improve workforce diversity and inclusion and reinforce its commitment to equal opportunity and respectful treatment for all employees. "We are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and respectful work environment that is consistent with our core values," Hendricks concluded.