Daiichi Sankyo Gender Discrimination Class Action

Company: Daiichi Sankyo

On February 11, 2013, six current and former female pharmaceutical sales professionals filed a class and collective action gender discrimination lawsuit against Daiichi Sankyo in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging discrimination in pay, promotion and other terms and conditions of employment based on gender, pregnancy and family responsibilities.

On May 22, 2014, the Court granted conditional certification of a collective action under the Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., the first in the Ninth Circuit. Following this, Notice was sent to nearly 1,400 current and former female pharmaceutical sales professionals.

On August 28, 2015, the parties agreed to settle the class action and collective action lawsuit for $8.2 million. The amount of this Class Settlement was recognized as 2015’s fifth highest settlement of a private plaintiff employment discrimination class action lawsuit in Seyfarth Shaw’s “12th Annual Workplace Class Action Litigation Report.”

In November 2015, Notice of the Class Settlement was sent to 1,500+ current and former female pharmaceutical sales professionals. The Court granted final approval of the Class Settlement on February 11, 2016.

As a result of the Court-approved Class Settlement, 1,500+ women were provided monetary relief. The Class Settlement will also provide programmatic change within Daiichi, including requiring Daiichi leadership to receive anti-discrimination training and allowing promotions and salary merit increases for employees on leave, including maternity leave.