On February 25, 2000, 37 individuals filed a class action complaint against Boeing Co. and its subsidiaries and divisions in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. The plaintiffs, all female workers at various Boeing facilities, claimed that the company had discriminated against them and asked the court for injunctive relief, back pay, and benefits, alleging that the company had pursued and/or failed to eliminate policies that, while they may have seemed neutral, had the effect of discrimination. Specifically, they contended that they had been denied desirable job assignments, promotional opportunities, management positions, equal pay, overtime, and benefits.

In their motion for class certification, filed May 2, 2001, the plaintiffs, all female workers from the Puget Sound area, Wichita, Southern California, St. Louis, and Tulsa, claimed that they represented a fair cross section of Boeing's female employees. On October 19, 2001, the court (Judge Marsha J. Pechman) held that class certification was appropriate for injunctive action and punitive damages, although not for back pay. Beck v. Boeing, 203 F.R.D. 459 (W.D. Wash. 2001). The class consisted of women employed at defendant's facilities in the Puget Sound area of the State of Washington at any time since February 25, 1997. Id.

On October 8, 2004t, he court (Judge Pechman) granted final approval of a consent decree and awarded attorney's fees to the plaintiffs. In the settlement, Boeing agreed to pay between $40 and $70 million total, depending on the class member claim return rate. Boeing also agreed to provide relief with regard to starting salaries, salary reviews, performance evaluation, job analysis, promotion, and overtime.

Andrew Kline - 03/30/2008


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