The EEOC reported recently that while it is filing fewer lawsuits (11% per cent fewer than last year), it is using its increasing resources to aggressively attack “systemic” discrimination, or company-wide practices of discrimination. One particular focus of this EEOC attack is on pay discrimination claims filed by female workers.
Employment lawyers are wisely advising their clients to pay closer attention to their compliance policies and practices, including studying and updating their pay systems, updating employee manuals, and conducting training programs for both manager and workers. The EEOC’s new focus is not going away any time soon, and should an employee bring to its attention a discrimination claim that, after investigation, appears to be not merely unique to that employee but a company policy, the stakes for that company are enormous.