Healthcare Compliance Perspective:
Healthcare providers are prohibited from basing pay rates, salary, benefits, or other employee privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, creed, disability, or veteran status.
A pharmacy chain in north San Diego County, will pay $60,000, and furnish other relief to settle a sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The EEOC charged that the pharmacy paid a female pharmacy technician upwards of four dollars an hour less than a male pharmacy technician, then fired her two days after she complained of unequal pay.
This alleged conduct is a violation of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1963 (Title VII). In addition to paying $60,000 to the employee, the pharmacy has consented to retaining an external equal employment monitor who will assist the company in reviewing and revising its policies and practices to comply with the EPA, including the anti-retaliation provisions of the law. The pharmacy will also provide annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) training for employees, supervisors, and managers, post an employee notice, and undertake record keeping and reporting to the EEOC. The EEOC will monitor compliance with this agreement.
