Yesterday, the EEOC announced that it had settled a lawsuit against a Central Ohio company for $188K which involved retaliation and sex and wage discrimination. In the lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that the defendant employer hired an experienced female drafter to prepare drawings and sketches for batteries and engines, but paid a higher salary to a similarly qualified male engineer hired a few months after her to perform the same tasks. When the female engineer learned of the salary disparity, she complained to the human resources manager and was subsequently fired – allegedly in retaliation for complaining about the discrimination. The EEOC ultimately filed suit on her behalf in 2010, alleging violations of Title VII and the Equal Pay Act.
In addition to monetary damages for the female engineer, the EEOC obtained a two-year consent decree which requires training for the defendant employer's human resources personnel and employees at the Hyundai Ideal Electric Company's home office in Mansfield, Ohio and posting of anti-discrimination notices.
NOTICE: This summary is designed merely to inform and alert you of recent legal developments. It does not constitute legal advice and does not apply to any particular situation because different facts could lead to different results. Information here can change or be amended without notice. Readers should not act upon this information without legal advice. If you have any questions about anything you have read, you should consult with or retain an employment attorney.
