Thu Sep 19 07:00:00 UTC 2024: ## Penn State to Pay $703,742 in Back Wages to Dozens of Women in Pay Equity Settlement
**State College, PA** – Pennsylvania State University will pay $703,742 in back wages and interest to dozens of female employees who were allegedly paid less than their male counterparts, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Wednesday.
A compliance review by the department revealed that since 2020, Penn State paid 65 women less than men holding similar jobs in various departments including facilities, extension education, and senior administration. A small number of female faculty members were also affected.
While Penn State did not admit to any violations, Suzanne Adair, the university’s vice president for equal opportunity and access, attributed the discrepancies to “unintentional pay discrepancies.” Individual payouts to the affected women range from $2,432 to $47,241.
As part of the settlement, Penn State has agreed to implement measures to ensure its compensation and pay practices are free from discrimination.
“Employers that hold federal contracts must provide all employees with equal employment opportunities and audit their employment processes to make certain no barriers to equal employment exist,” said Samuel Maiden, the mid-Atlantic regional director for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
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