Disney Settles Pay-Equity Class Action Lawsuit for $43 Million – Yahoo Finance
Recently, Disney agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $43.25 million. This lawsuit was filed by two Disney employees, LaRonda Rasmussen and Karen Moore, in 2019, who claimed they were paid less than men for similar work. The lawsuit later expanded to include 9,000 female employees.
After reaching a settlement with the plaintiffs represented by Andrus partner Lori Andrus in October, Disney decided to compensate these women. The trial was scheduled to commence in May 2025. Lori Andrus praised the courage of Ms. Rasmussen and others who took a stand against pay discrimination at Disney. She also commended Disney for committing to annual pay equity reviews to promote fairness in pay.
Initially, Disney tried to stop the class action by arguing that each woman should file her own lawsuit. However, the judge disagreed, allowing the case to proceed as a class action. Disney expressed its commitment to paying employees fairly and stated it was pleased to resolve the matter.
The settlement is awaiting official approval by Judge Elihu M. Berle on January 10. It’s important to note that this class action lawsuit only pertains to Disney and does not include other Disney-owned properties like Hulu, ESPN, and Pixar. Deadline first reported on this story.
