The US Soccer Federation settled a lawsuit filed by women's soccer players claiming that they were paid unequally. Players claimed that this pay gap was due to gender discrimination. Equal Pay Act demands equal pay for individuals with the same skills and experience. This law is also applicable to female soccer players.
U.S. Soccer Federation sued women's soccer team
The U.S. Women's National Team filed suit against the U.S. Soccer Federation in 2005 over pay disparities. The players alleged that the U.S. Soccer Federation discriminated against them and paid lip service to equality, while paying their male counterparts higher salaries. However, the federation responded to the complaint in a court filing in May, denying that the women were not being paid fairly.
The lawsuit was filed after Carlos Cordeiro, the USSF president, resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination. 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 remarks were a "slap in your face" by Cone, an ex-USWNT player.
Case dismissed in May 2020
In May 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco Unified School District had violated the Civil Rights Act of 64 by failing to offer special English language programs for English language learners. The ruling remanded the case for appropriate relief. The district is currently considering whether or not to appeal the decision.
Players claim the gender discrimination is responsible for the pay gap
Women's soccer players in the United States are claiming that their pay gap is due to gender discrimination. They have filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming that they were paid less than their male counterparts. The court dismissed their complaint in May 2020. But the players appealed. Their lawsuit was inspired in part by the documentary film "When We Value Women", which highlights the gender disparities in the workplace.
The United States has had a higher pay gap since 1999. In March 2019, 28 women's soccer stars filed a lawsuit against United States soccer federation alleging that the gap in pay is due to gender discrimination. The lawsuit stated that women's soccer players would be paid approximately 38% less per hour than their male counterparts. This lawsuit has triggered a new conversation on gender discrimination in sports.
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 suit alleged that the USSF had institutionalized gender discrimination and was focused on equal pay for all workers.
The American public took sides as the lawsuit over women's hockey arose. They cited the inequalities of women's soccer's pay. The federation claimed that the contract for women was collectively bargained, and that their salaries were equal to those of men. However, the public outrage forced them to change their position. Meanwhile, women's soccer players used their popularity and huge social media followings as weapons in their lawsuit.