Former Executive (Francine Katz) Sues Anheuser-Busch InBev for Sexual Discrimination
Francine Katz was the vice president of communications and consumer affairs at Anheuser-Busch when InBev took over the company. Katz was promoted to the position in 2002, and was the first woman to join the company's Strategy Committee. Other women at the company saw her as a role model, and admired her approachable demeanor.
The reportedly well-respected and outspoken executive left the company shortly after the InBev purchase, and filed a lawsuit for gender discrimination, alleging that she was paid less than male colleagues, specifically her predecessor, John Jacob. She claimed the company had a "frat party" atmosphere and routinely paid women less then men for the same work. This claim was disputed by the company.
According to company insiders, Jacob was a close advisor of August Busch III and earned the higher salary by being a valuable resource to the man over a period of many years. They said it would be hard to argue that a successor with different qualifications should earn the same salary right off the bat.
This scenario is, unfortunately, played out in companies (both big and small) throughout the United States. Companies must take steps to prevent such practices for a number of reasons: to protect the company from the risk of lawsuit; to prevent the negative impact on reputation and staff morale which occurs in the face of such a lawsuit and to prevent the loss of valuable employees (that the company has spent time and money training) as a result of poor employment / compensation practices.
If you have a question about this issue, contact an employment law attorney - contact Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A. for legal counsel.
If the case makes it to trial, it will be worth watching. Find out more about this gender discrimination lawsuit at More on Francine Katz's gender discrimination lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch.
