What is gender discrimination?
A female shareholder recently lodged a gender discrimination lawsuit against a law firm nationally known for defending employers against employment discrimination claims. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. is an employment law firm comprised of more than 850 lawyers in over 50 offices throughout the United States. Now, the firm faces alarming allegations of systemically paying female shareholders less, denying women equal opportunities for advancement, and manipulating origination credits to the benefit of male employees. Our Georgia employment discrimination lawyers discuss the Ogletree gender discrimination lawsuit and what constitutes gender discrimination below.
Female Shareholders Claim To Be Paid Less
The complaint against Ogletree asserts that the law firm pays female shareholders less than their male counterparts. Origination credits are credits awarded for bringing on new clients. Ogletree, the plaintiff alleges, has a practice of attributing origination credits to male shareholders, even when it is a female attorney at the firm that acquired the new client.
Even further, the complaint alleges that Ogletree assigns a greater burden of administrative duties on female shareholders. These duties are less valued, resulting in female employees being paid less. Female shareholder burdened by more than their fair share of administrative duties find themselves billing less and accordingly making less than male shareholders.
The plaintiff is seeking $100 million in damages for underpayment by Ogletree, $100 million for compensatory damages, as well as $100 million in punitive damages. The complainant is additionally seeking reform within Ogletree to end the systemic discrimination against female shareholders.
Gender Discrimination Defined
Gender discrimination involves the unequal treatment of an employee based on her sex. Gender discrimination is illegal and constitutes a civil rights violation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Gender discrimination is not always easy to recognize and can be insidious. Female employees should recognize the many forms of gender discrimination so that they can protect their legal rights. Examples of gender discrimination could include paying female employees less, failing to promote qualified female employees, or not hiring a female employee on the basis of her sex. Contact an employment discrimination lawyer if you feel your employer is discriminating against you due to your sex.