Extended Stay Hotels Will Pay $75,800 to Settle EEOC Pay Discrimination Lawsuit

Hotel Paid Women Less Than Male Employees, Federal Agency Charged

BALTIMORE - Extended Stay Hotels will pay $75,800 and provide significant equitable relief to settle a pay discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

According to the EEOC's suit, Extended Stay Hotels paid Latoya Weaver less than male guest services representatives, including some newly hired male guest services representatives, at the hotel's Lexington Park, Md., location.  The EEOC further charged that Extended Stay Hotels unlawfully paid other female employees lower wages than those paid to male employees for performing equal work.

Such alleged conduct violates the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. HVM L.L.C., D/B/A Extended Stay Hotels, Civil Action No. 8:13-cv-01980) in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Greenbelt Division, after first attempting to reach a voluntary pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.  

In addition to the $75,800 in monetary relief to Weaver and three other class members, the two-year consent decree resolving the lawsuit enjoins Exended Stay Hotels from engaging in wage discrimination based on sex in the future.  The hotel will provide annual training on federal anti-discrimination laws, report to the EEOC about its handling of any wage discrimination claims and post a notice on this settlement.

"Wage discrimination has a pernicious effect on all workers, and often has a profound impact on the economic security of lower-income workers," said District Director Spencer H. Lewis, Jr. of the EEOC's Philadelphia District Office.  "This settlement addresses pay disparities and includes equitable provisions that should prevent pay discrimination in the future."

EEOC Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence added, "Remedying gender-based pay discrimination is a priority issue of the EEOC.  It is a matter of fundamental fairness that women should be paid the same wages as men when they are doing equal work."

According to its website, http://www.extendedstayhotels.com, Extended Stay Hotels owns and operates nearly 700 hotels across the United States and in Canada.

Enforcement of equal pay laws and targeting compensation systems and practices that discriminate based on gender is of one of six national priorities identified by the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan.

The Philadelphia District Office of the EEOC oversees Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and parts of New Jersey and Ohio.

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws against employment discrimination.  Further information is available at www.eeoc.gov.