A lawsuit brought by female soccer players alleging unequal pay was settled by the US Soccer Federation. According to the players, the reason for the pay gap is gender discrimination. The Equal Pay Act stipulates equal pay for people with the same skill and experience. This law is also applicable to female soccer players.
Women's soccer team filed lawsuit against U.S. Soccer Federation
Three years ago, U.S. Women's National Team sued the U.S. Soccer Federation for pay disparities. In the lawsuit, players claimed that the organization discriminated and gave lip service to equality but paid more to their male counterparts. In a May court filing, the Federation denied that women weren't being paid fair wages.
After Carlos Cordeiro, USSF President, resigned amid claims of sexual harassment, and gender discrimination, the lawsuit was brought. He had made comments regarding the skill level of male players and female players. This implied that male players have higher levels of skill. Cordeiro's comments were called a "slap in face" by Cone (an ex-USWNT player).
Case dismissed in May 2020
In May 2020, the United States Supreme Court found that San Francisco Unified Schools District had violated Civil Rights Act 1964 by failing English language learning opportunities for English-speaking students. The case was remanded to the court for any appropriate relief. The district is currently considering appealing against the decision.
Players claim pay gap is due to gender discrimination
Women's soccer players in the United States are claiming that their pay gap is due to gender discrimination. They filed a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming they were paid less than their male counterparts. The court dismissed the complaint in May 2020, but the players have appealed. Their lawsuit was inspired from a documentary called "When We Value Women", that shows the differences women face at work.
The United States has had a higher pay gap since 1999. 28 women soccer players filed a lawsuit in March 2019 against the United States soccer Federation alleging that the pay disparity is caused by gender discrimination. According to the lawsuit, women's players will be paid around 38% less that their male counterparts. This lawsuit has opened a dialogue about gender discrimination in sport.
Settlement with USSF
A lawsuit filed by 28 members of the U.S. women's soccer team, titled "Settlement with USSF in women's soccer lawsuit," will be settled, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). The lawsuit claimed that the USSF institutionalized gender discrimination. It focused on equal work conditions and pay.
As the women's soccer lawsuit unfolded, the American public took sides, citing the pay inequality in women's soccer. The federation claimed that women's contracts were collectively bargained. They also claimed that their salaries were equal to men's, but public outrage forced it into abandoning that position. Meanwhile, women's soccer players used their popularity and huge social media followings as weapons in their lawsuit.