Denton County, Texas, to Pay $115,000 after Judgment in Equal Pay Suit
November 05, 2018
Denton County, Texas, will pay $115,000 to a former doctor in its public health department after a federal district court entered judgment in favor of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in a pay discrimination suit brought on her behalf. The physician, who is board certified in adult and pediatric urology, hospice and palliative medicine, and is a certified correctional healthcare professional, was paid less than her male counterpart, in violation of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Dr. Martha C. Storrie worked as a primary care clinician in the Denton County Public Health Department beginning in October 2008, providing medical treatment for residents in clinics operated by the county. In August 2015, the county hired a male physician to perform the same duties; however, the county set his starting annual salary at more than $34,000 higher than hers. Moreover, the county’s director of public health failed to take remedial measures in response to Storrie's complaint about the unequal pay. The Equal Pay Act and Title VII both prohibit pay disparities based on sex rather than factors such as qualifications and job duties. The Equal Pay Act makes it unlawful for employers to pay women less than men for a job requiring the same skill, effort, and responsibility performed under similar working conditions. Equal Pay discrimination is one of six national enforcement priorities highlighted in the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan.
