Florida International University has agreed to pay $575,000 to resolve a claim of gender pay discrimination that alleged they paid dozens of women less than their male colleagues.
The money represents back wages and interest after the alleged discrimination was found during a routine compliance review, the U.S. Department of Labor said in a news release Wednesday.
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The review alleged that from Aug. 1, 2017, to Aug. 1, 2018, the university paid 163 women employees less than men in similar positions, the release said.
In addition to paying back wages and damages, the employer agreed to set aside $125,000 for "future pay equity adjustments and other pay equity-related activities" and to take steps to make sure its compensation practices and policies are free from discrimination, the release said.
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"Employers that hold federal contracts must provide all employees with equal employment opportunities and audit their employment processes to make certain no barriers to equal employment exist," said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Southeast Regional Director Aida Collins in Atlanta. "We appreciate that Florida International University worked cooperatively with the Department of Labor to resolve our concerns."
FIU also released a statement on the allegations.
"At FIU, we take our commitment to equal employment opportunity seriously and strive to treat our employees fairly. While we disagree with the OFCCP’s allegations, we decided to enter into a conciliation agreement after an extensive review. This allows us to continue to focus our resources on our mission of excellence in higher education and research," the statement read. "In keeping with the normal course of university business, we will continue to monitor our processes to ensure equal employment opportunities for every employee at FIU."
