January 15, 1999
San Francisco — A branch of the Xerox Corporation will pay a total of $109,250 to 21 workers to settle claims that the company's pay policies discriminated against women and minorities. The settlement includes salary increases of $52,463 and back pay of $56,787.
Under the terms of the conciliation agreement signed with the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Xerox's Electronic Delivery Unit on Utah Avenue will make the pay adjustments as well as several changes in company procedures in order to improve the effectiveness of the facility's affirmative action plan (AAP) for the recruitment, we are still, unfortunately, finding that women and minorities are not always paid the same as non-minority males," said Helene Haase, regional director of the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliances Programs in San Francisco. "Women and minorities should receive equal pay for equal work."
OFCCP investigators who completed a compliance review of the Xerox facility in late November conducted a compensation analysis which revealed that women and minorities in several job categories were systematically paid less than non-minority men performing similar work. To remedy the disparity, 12 minority and 9 female employees will receive pay raises of between 3 and 12 percent. They will also receive back wages, including interest for the difference between their previous and "adjusted" salaries. In addition to adjusting the salaries, Xerox will revise its policies for setting starting salaries, and change procedures for increasing pay for performance and for promotions.
In addition to the pay issues, the conciliation agreement details several steps Xerox has agreed to take to bolster the facility's AAP. Among others, Xerox will immediately step-up efforts to communicate AAP responsibilities to managers and supervisors, and an AAP Manager will serve as liaison between the company and organizations concerned with employment opportunities for women and minorities. The company will establish an ongoing audit and reporting system to track data on job applicants, referrals, hires, promotions and terminations.
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs enforces the laws that require federal contractors to take affirmative action to provide an equal employment opportunity work place. The laws ensure that taxpayer dollars do not perpetuate employment discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, color, disability or status as a covered veteran.
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