The Walt Disney Company is on the verge of facing a lawsuit filed by 9,000 women who assert that the company engaged in systemic gender-based pay discrimination.
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge, as reported by Variety, rejected Disney’s request to dismiss the complaint on Friday, paving the way for the proposed class action suit to move forward.
If realized, this legal action would constitute the largest ever certified under California’s Equal Pay Act, which prohibits businesses from engaging in gender-based discrimination against employees. Lori Andrus, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, expressed after the ruling, “Disney has been gaslighting these women for four years. They love their jobs. They love the brand. But they want to be respected and treated the way they should be in the workplace.”
Despite Disney positioning itself as a proponent of equality and diversity in recent years, the company’s alignment with social justice initiatives has resulted in the alienation of some loyal customers and a significant financial setback, leading to the layoff of 7,000 employees.
According to the lawsuit, Disney is accused of paying women less than their male counterparts across various positions since 2015. The plaintiffs encompass employees from Disney parks, hotels, cruise lines, and movie and television departments, including subsidiaries such as Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Disney has reportedly contested the allegations, arguing that the plaintiffs’ salary comparisons are flawed, representing the judgments of numerous managers rather than a centralized policy. The handling of such a large class action suit remains uncertain, with the next stage being a status meeting scheduled for February.