Nebraska Bank Sued for Paying Women Less Than Men

June 16, 2017

A Nebraska bank violated federal law by paying women and men unequally for jobs with the same required skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged.

According to the EEOC, Christine Schwieger began working for Heritage Bank, which is based in Wood River, Neb., in 2010 as a relationship manager who sold insurance.

From 2010 to 2013, Heritage Bank paid Schwieger and another woman, in the same position as Schwieger, the same base salary.

However, when that other woman quit and was replaced by a man in 2014, Heritage Bank paid him 33 percent more. After Schwieger learned of the pay inequity and complained, Heritage Bank did nothing.

When Schwieger quit in December 2015, she was still being paid the same unlawfully discriminatory base salary that she earned when she was hired, even almost six years earlier.

Such alleged conduct violates the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibits companies from paying women and men unequally for doing a job with the same required skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions.

The EEOC filed its lawsuit (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Heritage Bank, Civil Action No. 4:17-cv-03068), in U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

The EEOC seeks monetary relief, an order requiring the company to implement policies and practices to prevent future discrimination, and declaratory judgment.

Source: EEOC

Topics Lawsuits

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.

Latest Comments

  • June 20, 2017 at 9:38 am
    Fair Playing Field says:
    Agent incredulously wrote: "If she was selling insurance and any good at it, she should have been able to make substantial commissions and a very good income". Which has absol... read more
  • June 19, 2017 at 10:59 am
    Craig says:
    She only makes 25% less than he does.
  • June 16, 2017 at 4:57 pm
    Bill says:
    Of course she could have, but you're OK with her making 33% less than the male doing the same job? The bank is run by a bunch of damn fools if they think this is fine, especia... read more

Add a CommentSee All Comments (4)Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

More News
More News Features