Walt Disney has agreed to pay $43.3 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that its female employees in California were paid $150 million less than their male counterparts over an eight-year period, according to the plaintiffs’ lawyers. The suit, originally filed by LaRonda Rasmussen in 2019 after discovering pay disparities with male colleagues, eventually grew to include 9,000 current and former female employees of the entertainment company.
As part of the settlement, Disney has agreed to retain a labor economist for three years to analyze pay equity among full-time, non-union California employees below the vice president level and address any discrepancies. The company has also committed to resolving the matter and ensuring fair pay for its employees.
The lawsuit, which faced attempts by Disney to stop the class action, was supported by an analysis of the company’s human resource data that found female employees were paid approximately 2 percent less than their male counterparts. The settlement agreement, filed in a California state court, still requires approval by a judge.
Lori Andrus, a partner at Andrus Anderson, commended Rasmussen and the other women involved in the suit for bringing attention to pay disparities at Disney, one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. Disney spokesperson expressed the company’s commitment to paying employees fairly and stated they are pleased to have resolved the matter.
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