Walt Disney has agreed to pay $43.3 million to settle a lawsuit alleging gender pay disparities among its female employees in California. The lawsuit was originally filed by LaRonda Rasmussen in 2019 after she discovered that six men with the same job title were earning significantly more than her, with one man earning $20,000 more despite having less experience. The suit eventually grew to include 9,000 current and former female employees of the company.
As part of the settlement, Disney has committed to retaining a labor economist for three years to analyze pay equity among full-time, non-union California employees below the vice president level and address any disparities. The company has also stated that they are committed to paying their employees fairly and have demonstrated this commitment throughout the case.
The case was supported by an analysis of Disney’s human resource data, which found that female employees were paid roughly 2 percent less than their male counterparts from April 2015 to December 2022. The settlement agreement, filed in a California state court, still requires approval by a judge.
Lori Andrus, a partner at one of the law firms representing the plaintiffs, commended Rasmussen and the other women for raising awareness of pay disparity at Disney. The agreement represents a step towards addressing gender pay gaps and ensuring fair compensation for all employees at the entertainment giant.
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