WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – Stanley Martin Cos. LLC must pay $45,000 and provide equitable relief to resolve a federal sex-based pay discrimination lawsuit, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced.
Stanley Martin, one of the largest homebuilders in the Mid-Atlantic Region, allegedly refused to promote Carrie Smith to the position of purchasing manager in Reston, Virginia due to her sex. The EEOC claims that when Smith was finally promoted, she was then paid a lower salary than male purchasing managers.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex-based discrimination, including pay discrimination and discrimination during promotion decision-making. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 also disallows pay discrimination based on sex.
"Fairness and the law require that when a woman is doing substantially equal work as her male colleagues, she should get equal pay," Washington Field Office Acting Director Mindy Weinstein said.
The consent decree forbids Stanley Martin from the two acts. It must also provide training courses to its managers on the federal laws related to pay discrimination and other forms of sex discrimination.
"We are pleased this settlement provides full compensation to Ms. Smith for her wage loss and ensures female applicants and employees will not be subjected to discrimination in promotions or pay," EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence said.