A male worker for the has been awarded $40,000 by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration after a sex discrimination lawsuit found he was paid less than female colleagues in the same role despite having greater experience.
The unnamed employee was working as a district community liaison officer. He brought the case after his requests for equal pay and an explanation for his lower remuneration were ignored.
The $40,000 settlement includes back pay, pension adjustments and other damages.
The department will provide training for human resources and management officials involved in compensation decisions.
Debra Lawrence, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s regional attorney, said: “Though pay disparity for performing equal work most often affects women in the workplace, the Equal Pay Act applies to males as well. Employers should be mindful about their pay systems and be prepared to adjust their employees’ compensation in accordance with the law.”
The case was brought under the 1963 Equal Pay Act, which makes it illegal to take into account the sex of a worker when deciding pay rates.
