Love’s managers all do the same work — but women are paid much less, NC lawsuit says

Love’s is systematically underpaying its female managers, according to a lawsuit filed Friday.

Kristen Horton worked at three different Love’s convenience stores in North Carolina and Virginia from 2012 to 2018 — and she was paid significantly less than her male counterparts, according to a complaint in federal court.

“Pursuant to a centralized, company-wide policy, pattern and practice, defendant failed to pay (Horton) the same wages it paid to male (operations managers) for equal work which required the performance of equal skill, effort and responsibility, and which were performed under similar working conditions,” the complaint states.

A representative from Love’s and counsel for Horton did not respond Friday to McClatchy news group’s request for comment.

Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores is a chain of gas stations and convenience stores with more than 500 locations nationwide, according to its website. It’s open 24 hours and employs more than 25,000 workers.

Horton worked cash registers, stocked shelves, cleaned the store and bathrooms, helped customers and received deliveries as an operations manager, the suit states.

She worked 55 to 60 hours a week and was paid $45,000 a year, according to the complaint.

A male operations manager — referred to only as Tyler — who worked at the same store as Horton in Mebane, North Carolina, was paid a yearly salary of $53,000, according to the suit.

Tyler had “substantially less tenure,” “worked substantially less hours” and had “less relevant work experience,” the complaint states.

The proposed class action alleges Love’s violated the Equal Pay Act and seeks to certify a group of female managers who worked at any of Love’s locations nationwide in the last three years.