Pittsburgh employer ordered to pay $122K in back wages, interest for alleged gender discrimination

Taylor Spirito
·2 min read
30

A Pittsburgh-based engineering consultant has been ordered to pay $122,299 in back wages and interest to resolve alleged gender pay discrimination.

The U.S. Department of Labor said its Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs entered into a conciliation agreement with Michael Baker International Inc. to resolve allegations of pay discrimination against female employees in the engineering functional unit.

Officials said a routine compliance review showed that starting on Jan. 1, 2020, female professionals in the engineering unit were paid less than male workers in similar positions.

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, the Department of Labor said.

Alongside the back wages and interest, the company also agreed to:

  • Conduct compensation analysis for the affected group.

  • Make salary adjustments if any significant pay disparities are found based on gender.

  • Review and revise its overall compensation system.

  • Provide enhanced training to managers to ensure future compliance.

“The conciliation agreement with Michael Baker International demonstrates the Department of Labor’s continued efforts to bridge gender wage gaps and successfully achieve pay equality for women,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Regional Director Samuel B. Maiden in Philadelphia.

Michael Baker International Inc. is a provider of engineering and consulting services that offers infrastructure solutions and holds federal contracts with the General Services Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Labor said.

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