In a recent lawsuit against Walt Disney, the company is accused of systematically underpaying women in California, resulting in a staggering $150 million less earnings for female employees than their male counterparts over eight years.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, aims to have the civil suit certified as a class action, representing approximately 12,500 current or former full-time female Disney employees below the vice president level. An analysis of Disney’s human resource data conducted by labor economist David Neumark found that female employees were paid approximately 2% less than their male counterparts between April 2015 and December 2022.
However, Disney disputes these findings. Shawna M. Swanson, Associate General Counsel and head of the employment law function for Disney, stated, “The plaintiffs’ assertions about an alleged pay gap between women and men are simply false, which we will demonstrate through the litigation.”
The original Walt Disney discrimination lawsuit was filed in 2019 by LaRonda Rasmussen after discovering that six men with the same job title earned significantly more, including a recent hire with fewer years of experience earning $20,000 more. Nine current or former Disney employees have since joined the suit.
The attorneys for the plaintiffs emphasized that many of the named plaintiffs have a genuine love for the Disney brand and simply want to be compensated fairly. The alleged lower pay for women in California would violate the state’s Equal Pay Act and the Fair Employment & Housing Act.
If you have experienced workplace discrimination or unfair labor practices, don’t hesitate to take action. Contact Labor Law Advocates in California today and fight for the fairness and equality you deserve.
