Company Held Liable in Employee Discrimination Case
Novartis, a drug company, has been found guilty of discriminating against female workers. The company is said to have paid female employees lower wages than their male counterparts in addition to denying them promotions because of their gender.
According to an ABC News report, the decision, made by the U.S. District Court, required Novartis to pay $3.3 million in compensatory damages to 12 women who alleged that their employer treated them unfairly because they were women.
Some women said they were treated badly because they got pregnant. The court has not yet awarded punitive damages in this case. The remaining 5,600 female employees, who are part of the class action, can also file individual claims for damages. Novartis has been praised for being one of the “best employers” in the country. But one employee said she was fired when she was seven months pregnant because she took a few weeks off based on doctors’ advice.
Such cases demonstrate how evidence displaying a difference in pay based on gender can help support job discrimination litigation. In such cases, workers must be able to prove a pattern of unequal pay. Workers do have legal rights and if they believe they are being discriminated against or exploited, they should contact an experienced Pennsylvania employment discrimination lawyer to find out more information about how to pursue their rights.
Monheit is the managing lawyer at Monheit Law, outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has practiced law since 1989. Michael Monheit was the managing attorney of the law offices of Herbert Monheit — now Silverman and Fodera — a firm founded by... Michael Monheit→
