Pfizer to Pay $2M to Settle Alleged Gender Bias in Compensation at New York City Office

Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve alleged compensation discrimination affecting female employees at the federal contractor’s New York City headquarters.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it entered into a conciliation agreement with Pfize following a compliance review covering the period from Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2016. DOL investigators said they found that beginning on Jan. 1, 2015, Pfizer discriminated against 86 females in professional positions.

DOL said these actions violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.

Pfizer has not admitted to any noncompliance.

Under the agreement, Pfizer will pay $2 million in back wages and interest to the affected female employees, set aside a separate $500,000 reserve required for future salary adjustments and conduct a compensation analysis make salary adjustments if any significant pay disparities are found based on gender.

Pfizer, an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in New York City with research and development laboratories in Groton, Connecticut, has federal government contracts for large scale production of Covid-19 vaccines.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs

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