Yale agrees to settlement over gender-based pay discrepancy

Yale has agreed to a settlement after a routine compliance review revealed a pay disparity involving female doctors at the institution, according to a Labor Department statement.

The review conducted by the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) found that Yale had failed to adhere to federal requirements that employers not discriminate based on gender, as the female doctors performed the same manner of work as their male colleagues for less pay.

The Ivy League university didn’t admit to the allegations but agreed to a settlement.

The four female cardiologists from the Yale School of Medicine will receive payments totaling up to $87,500 — $77,049.54 in back pay and $10,450.46 in interest — to account for the salary discrepancy that occurred between October 2016 and September 2017. Two of the affected parties will receive $27,500, the third will get $20,000 and $12,500 will go to the fourth doctor, according to the agreement.

“We acknowledge Yale University for its proactive efforts to conciliate, for improving its pay practices for female cardiologists and for ensuring equal employment opportunity,” said OFCCP northeast regional director Diana Sen in the statement last week.

“The conciliation agreement involves only 4 employees out of a workforce of over 16,000,” a Yale spokesperson said in a statement. “OFCCP admitted that it found no pay disparities as to any but these 4 employees, who held roles in an employment category that has not existed for over two years.”

—Updated at 5:31 p.m.