EEOC Files Lawsuit Against Healthcare Company Alleging Pay Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently filed a federal lawsuit against a Pennsylvania employer who paid its female employee less than male workers who were doing the same job. According to the lawsuit, Medsurant Health, a healthcare company providing intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring services paid a female monitorist less than male workers for equal work which violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Both acts prohibit pay discrepancy based on sex or other protected characteristics.

According to the EEOC, once the female employee complained that she was making less money for the same job, the company she worked for retaliated against her leading to a constructive discharge. Federal law prohibits a company from retaliating against an employee for asserting their rights under Title VII or bringing a claim of discrimination against an employer.

As a result of the lawsuit, Medsurant will pay the female employee $80,000 in damages. The EEOC is also forcing the company to make proactive changes to prevent future sex discrimination through additional training and updated policies. The company will undergo an internal compensation audit to ensure that there are no other pay disparities between employees. Employees of Medsurant are also being notified of their rights to equal pay for equal work.

What is the Equal Pay Act of 1963? 

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was signed into law by John F. Kennedy as part of his New Frontier Program. Its objective was to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by eliminating the wage disparity between men and women. Prior to this act, women made up 25% of the workforce. They were routinely paid substantially less than men who provided similar skill sets and took on identical responsibilities. The difference in pay for the same work is known as the wage gap. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 worked to establish federal laws regarding wages. While we’ve come a long way since 1963, wage disparities still exist in the workplace and gender discrimination lawyers are still finding instances of discriminatory pay.

Retaliation for asserting your rights is illegal 

In the case mentioned above, the EEOC contends that the employee was fired for complaining that she was being paid less than her male counterparts. This is also unlawful. An employee must be able to feel free to assert their rights under the law if their employer is violating them. In cases where an employee has a valid complaint against their employer, and the employer fires, demotes or otherwise retaliates against the employee, the employer can be sued. In this case, the employer was forced to pay their employee $80,000 for firing her for asserting her rights.

Talk to a Tampa, FL Gender Discrimination Attorney Today 

Florin Gray represents the interests of Tampa employees who are facing various forms of gender discrimination. Our law firm will fight for your right to equal pay and respectful treatment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Call our Tampa, FL employment law attorneys today to schedule a free consultation, and we can begin preparing your case right away.

Source:

theamericangenius.com/business-news/sex-discrimination-suit-eeoc/