• Summarize the discrimination that took place.  
• Explain how you would have handled the situation prior to the lawsuit in your assigned case based on the law or act, if you had been an HR professional on a team. 

APA format 350 words

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Press Release
10-24-2018

Denton County to Pay
$115,000 After
Judgment in EEOC
Equal Pay Lawsuit
Denton County Paid Female Doctor Less Than a Male Doctor in

Health Department

DALLAS – Denton County will pay $115,000 to a female former
county doctor after a federal court entered judgment in favor of
the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in
a pay discrimination lawsuit (EEOC), the federal agency
announced today.

According to the lawsuit, Dr. Martha C. Storrie worked as Primary
Care Clinician in the Denton County Public Health Department
beginning in October 2008. The job duties of her position were
primarily to provide medical treatment for Denton County

https://www.eeoc.gov/

residents in clinics operated by the County. In August 2015,
Denton County hired a male physician to perform the same
duties as her. However, when the newly hired clinician was
brought onboard, the county set his starting annual salary at
more than $34,000 higher than hers. The Denton County director
of public health then failed to take remedial measures in
response to Storrie’s complaint about the unequal pay.

Such alleged conduct violates the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which both prohibit unequal pay
disparities which are based on gender as opposed to other
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.

The EEOC filed suit in August 2017 in the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division (EEOC v. Denton
County, Civil Action No. 4:17-CV-614) after first attempting to
reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary
conciliation process.

“Dr. Storrie was a very well qualified and competent physician
for Denton County,” said EEOC Dallas District Office Supervisory
Trial Attorney Suzanne M. Anderson. “Dr. Storrie was board
certified in adult and pediatric urology, hospice and palliative
medicine and a certified correctional healthcare professional.
She received cards and letters from many of her patients,
thanking her for her competent and caring treatment, so she
expressed surprise when she learned the county paid her less
than the new hire.”

The final judgment and order issued by Federal District Judge
Amos L. Mazzant III on Oct. 24, 2018 awards Dr. Storrie $115,000
in damages. It also requires Denton County to implement a new
written policy regarding the compensation policy for all new
physicians in the public health department in Denton County.
Denton County is also to provide training on equal pay for
women and the posting of a notice at Denton County facilities.

“The EEOC is pleased with the county’s commitment in the final
judgment which requires the implementation of a new
compensation policy for the public health department,” said
EEOC Regional Attorney Robert Canino. “The EEOC is hopeful
the County’s renewed efforts may also lead to other
departments or areas within the County’s workforce being
reviewed and considered periodically to determine equal
opportunities are given to both men and women.”

Equal Pay discrimination is one of six national enforcement
priorities highlighted in the EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan,
accessible at https://www.eeoc.gov/plan/sep-2017-cfm
(https://www.eeoc.gov/plan/sep-2017-cfm) .

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing
federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More
information is available at www.eeoc.gov
(https://www.eeoc.gov/) . Stay connected with the latest EEOC
news by subscribing to our email updates
(https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USEEOC/subscriber/new)
.

https://www.eeoc.gov/plan/sep-2017-cfm

https://www.eeoc.gov/

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