The Tulsa World recently published an analysis that most top-paying jobs at Tulsa City Hall continue to be held by men, though the gender pay gap is improving.
The analysis of base salaries for all full-time employees shows “women’s median pay to be $48,402 yearly, while median pay for men is $51,168 annually.”
Attorney Dan Smolen is not surprised by these findings.
“The city’s pay policies allow for supervisor discretion in assigning pay upon both initial hiring and in promotions,” said Smolen. “Unfortunately in our litigation experience with the city, this subjectivity has resulted in higher pay awarded to males.
“Tulsa World’s findings are consistent with this experience. It is not enough to simply point to a male’s prior salary or starting pay as a justification for the disparity. Many times female employees have longer tenures and more job-related experience and, yet, are still paid less.”
The article comes after the settlement of Jackie Stice, who has worked for Tulsa since 2003. Stice, represented by Smolen & Roytman, filed a lawsuit on April 10, 2017, in Tulsa County District Court after the city’s Civil Service Commission rejected her claim of gender-based pay inequality. Stice has more experience and more years tenure than a male employee and was underpaid for doing similar work in the Finance Department.
The case was settled for a $90,000 payment and a $10,000 annual base pay increase.
Read the full Tulsa World article and report here: Women’s median pay less than men’s at Tulsa City Hall, analysis shows
