NWLC Lawsuit: Yvonne Schulman v. Zoetis

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Update: On April 26, 2024, Dr. Schulman filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that Zoetis clearly violated the federal Equal Pay Act, New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, and New Jersey Equal Pay Act when it paid a man almost twice as much as her for the same job. Zoetis cross-moved for summary judgment, arguing that it did not violate the law. On May 17, 2024, Dr. Schulman filed an opposition to Zoetis’s motion for summary judgment; and on May 31, she filed a reply in support of her motion for summary judgment.

Update: On July 14, 2023, we won a significant ruling allowing Dr. Schulman’s case to move forward, including her New Jersey state civil rights claims. In this case, we brought claims under the federal Equal Pay Act, Title VII, and New Jersey state law, because—among other reasons—the company that employed Dr. Schulman as a remote worker is based in New Jersey, and the decisions about Dr. Schulman’s pay were made in New Jersey. The company moved to dismiss our New Jersey claims, arguing that New Jersey law shouldn’t apply because Dr. Schulman didn’t physically work in New Jersey. The court disagreed with the company and allowed our claims to proceed at this stage. This is an important win in a developing area of law, given that more and more employees now work remotely. That should not be a reason to deny workers their civil rights protections.

Update: On July 5, 2022, Dr. Schulman filed her opposition to Zoetis’s partial motion to dismiss her New Jersey claims. The brief explains that Dr. Schulman should be allowed to bring her claims under New Jersey law because she has pleaded facts sufficient to show that the New Jersey-headquartered Zoetis paid her less than men doing the same job, and appears to have made these discriminatory pay decisions in New Jersey, in violation of state law.

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Our Lawsuit

On March 14, 2022, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), and law firm partners Kakalec Law PLLC and Harrison, Harrison & Associates, Ltd., filed a lawsuit in New Jersey federal district court against Zoetis, Inc., alleging the company significantly underpaid a female veterinary pathologist compared to at least two of her male colleagues who performed the same job but had far less experience. Dr. Yvonne Schulman, the plaintiff in the suit, seeks to hold Zoetis accountable for its illegal pay discrimination and gender discrimination.

The lawsuit alleges that Zoetis, Inc., a large international animal health company, paid one veterinary pathologist—who was a man with six fewer years of experience—over $100,000 more than Dr. Schulman. Another male veterinary pathologist with nineteen fewer years of experience was paid $70,000 more. When Dr. Schulman discovered the pay inequity, she raised the issue with HR and company officials, but the company refused to address this blatant sex discrimination.

Dr. Schulman is bringing claims against Zoetis for violations of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII, as well as New Jersey equal pay and antidiscrimination law.