Disney Settles Gender Bias Lawsuit for $43.25 Million

Background: Female Employees Faced Persistent Inequities at Disney

Women at The Walt Disney Company worked in production, publishing, and corporate roles for years. They consistently performed duties equal to or greater than their male peers. Despite this, Disney paid them less, denied promotions, and gave them lower job titles. Internal policies discouraged wage transparency. Employees feared retaliation for discussing pay. Some women spent over a decade in the same role without title or salary advancement. These patterns revealed systemic discrimination, prompting the plaintiffs to pursue class action relief.

Cause: Company Practices Sparked Legal Challenge

Plaintiffs alleged that Disney enforced unlawful employment policies. The company reportedly barred employees from discussing salaries and punished those who did. Multiple women described receiving lower compensation than men performing identical work. Ms. Hutchins and Ms. Train described clear disparities in title and pay. Ms. Moore and Ms. Eady-Marshall replaced male colleagues in similar roles but received no comparable recognition. Plaintiffs argued these were not isolated incidents. Instead, they reflected discriminatory structures and longstanding wage suppression targeting women.

Injury: Pay Gaps and Professional Harm

The women described significant financial losses. Some earned $10,000 less per year than male colleagues doing the same work. They lost access to bonuses, benefits, and fair advancement. The complaint detailed emotional consequences, including frustration, humiliation, and diminished career confidence. Despite excellent reviews, they remained stuck in lower roles. Several women reported that their job duties increased while their compensation did not. The plaintiffs believed this mistreatment stemmed from gender-based bias embedded in Disney’s workplace systems.

Damages: Plaintiffs Sought Financial and Structural Remedies

The plaintiffs requested back pay, adjusted benefits, and compensation for emotional harm. They also sought permanent policy changes. They asked the court to require Disney to eliminate discriminatory practices, implement fair promotion systems, and train managers. They proposed an independent task force to monitor progress and report quarterly. Plaintiffs demanded oversight until the court deemed Disney compliant. Their demands extended beyond individual damages—they sought structural equality across the organization.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

• Plaintiff(s): Nancy Dolan | Virginia Eady-Marshall | Chelsea Hanke | Amy Hutchins | Dawn Johnson | Enny Joo | Karen Moore | LaRonda Rasmussen | Anabel Pareja Sinn | Rebecca Train

• Counsel for Plaintiffs: Lori Erin Andrus | Barry Goldstein | Byron R. Goldstein | James Kan | Elizabeth Lee Lyons | Joseph Marc Sellers | Stephanie E. Tilden | Christine E. Webber | Phoebe M. Wolfe | Tabitha Woodruff

• Defendant(s): The Walt Disney Company | American Broadcasting Companies Inc. | Buena Vista Home Entertainment Inc. | Disney Content Sales LLC | Hollywood Records Inc. | TWDC Enterprises 18 Corp DOE 1 | Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer & International | Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development Inc. | Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S. Inc. | Walt Disney Pictures

• Counsel for Defendants: Sarah Besnoff | Emily Grace Camastra | Christine Cedar | Felicia A. Davis | Zina Deldar | Julie Kwun | Elizabeth S. Minoofar | Claire Saba Murphy | Shawna Marie Swanson

Claims: Legal Allegations Brought Against Disney

The complaint presented multiple claims:

1. Gender Discrimination – Violated California anti-discrimination and equal pay laws.

2. Pay Secrecy Violations – Barred and punished wage disclosure, violating Labor Code § 232.

3. Retaliation – Disciplined employees who discussed compensation.

4. Unfair Competition – Maintained unlawful business practices under Business and Professions Code § 17200.

5. Declaratory Relief – Sought a court ruling on the unlawfulness of Disney’s policies.

6. Injunctive Relief – Requested orders preventing ongoing discriminatory conduct.

7. Attorneys’ Fees – Pursued recovery of litigation costs under Government Code § 12965(b).

Settlement

The Plaintiffs—female Disney employees—sought and secured final approval of a $43.25 million class and representative action settlement in Los Angeles Superior Court. The case alleged systemic gender discrimination under California’s FEHA and PAGA, impacting salaried, non-union women below VP level in California between April 2015 and December 2024. The motion requested class certification, approval of settlement terms, and judicial oversight. The settlement included $375,000 in PAGA penalties, $77,000 in administrative costs, and allocations for attorney fees and service awards.

Court Documents

Court documents are available for purchase upon request at Jurimatic@exlitem.com