Inova Home Health and Alternate Solutions Health Network, which owns in-part and operates IHH, have agreed to pay $105,000 and provide other relief to settle a pay discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced July 13, 2023.
According to EEOC’s lawsuit, IHH and ASHN provide home healthcare coordination services to patients at the Inova Health System in northern Virginia, including through the services of their post-acute care coordinators (PACCs). The EEOC alleged IHH and ASHN paid female PACCs less than male coworkers for performing equal work under similar working conditions. Female PACCs with no performance issues were paid less than their newly-hired male counterparts despite having more job-related experience in the healthcare field and more seniority in the PACC position. IHH and ASHN also refused to adjust female PACCs’ wages after receiving a complaint of pay discrimination.
In addition to the $105,000 in monetary relief paid to three female PACCs named in the lawsuit, the consent decree resolving the litigation requires IHH and ASHN to take affirmative steps to prevent pay discrimination in the future. This includes implementation of enhanced compensation and discrimination policies, training for human resources and management officials involved in compensation decisions, notices to employees about their rights, and an internal compensation audit. IHH and ASHN have also agreed to raise the pay of still-employed aggrieved individuals to correspond with their male counterparts.