The 1963 Equal Pay Act requires employers in Texas and around the country to give male and female workers equal pay for equal work, and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits gender-based discrimination in the workplace. On Nov. 20, three female Amazon workers filed a lawsuit in a federal court that claims the online retail giant Amazon violated these laws. The plaintiffs claim that they were paid less than male employees with the same duties and were retaliated against when they complained.
Lower titles and salaries
The women who filed the gender discrimination lawsuit work in Amazon’s corporate strategy and research division. They claim that Amazon gave them less senior job titles and paid them lower salaries than men who performed the same work. One of the women claims that a male researcher on her team was paid 50% more than she was because of his job title.
Retaliation
According to court papers, the three women complained to both their managers and Amazon’s human resources department about job misclassification and unequal pay in 2021. They claim that Amazon retaliated against them within weeks. The women say they were demoted, given restricted duties and ordered to report to a male manager who they had accused of employment discrimination. An Amazon spokesperson responded to the lawsuit by denying the allegations and stating that the online retailer does not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Gathering evidence
If these three women and Amazon do not reach a settlement at the negotiating table, the outcome of this lawsuit will be determined by the preponderance of the evidence. This is why it is important for workers who are being treated unfairly to memorialize conversations they have with coworkers and supervisors and keep accurate records of their duties and compensation.