U.S. Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams to Be Paid Equally under New Deal

Last month, the U.S. Soccer Federation released a statement regarding the implementation of a new collective bargaining agreement. Under this new agreement, which will be in effect until 2028, both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams will be paid equally. According to an article published on NPR, this decision follows the settlement of the lengthy pay dispute filed by the women’s team back in 2016 concerning the pay gap between male and female players. In the announcement released by the organization, the new collective bargaining agreement will include splitting the World Cup prize money equally between both teams. 

The New Deal Following the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Equal Pay Lawsuit Settlement 

According to a different NPR article, also published on NPR, the complaints in the 2016 equal pay lawsuit were made by five female members on the national team. The article noted that the members of the women’s team were paid “thousands of dollars less than the men at nearly every level of competition.” Several female players also sued the organization in March of 2019, pointing to the  pay gap between themselves and their male counterparts, despite the women’s team being more successful on the field. These claims, however, were dismissed by a federal judge, who allegedly justified the difference in compensation to the “structure of men’s and women’s contracts.” The players appealed the decision in 2021, asking the judge to revisit their performance on the field in comparison to the men’s team. Furthermore, the players advocated for the establishment of a new collective bargaining agreement. 

The settlement was reached in February with a promise to compensate both teams equally and “give the women’s team $22 million in back pay.” The two teams will also split the earnings from the World Cup prize money equally along with any commercial and ticket revenue. Members of the team expressed their positive thoughts on the outcome of the dispute stating the organization’s achievement in evidently displaying their “One Nation, One Team” anthem. 

Federal and State Laws on Equal Pay and Gender Discrimination 

There are federal and state laws that protect individuals from unequal pay based on gender discrmination within the workplace. According to the Equal Pay Act (EPA), employers are required to provide equal pay for equal work for both men and women in the same workplace. In addition to EPA, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also prohibits employers from discriminating against their employees based on sex in pay and benefits. Several states, including New York and New Jersey, acknowledge and uphold this law.

Seek Legal Assistance Today 

If your employer has discriminated against you based on gender, seek assistance from the Working Solutions Law Firm, located in New York City and Livingston, NJ. Contact us today at (646) 430-7930 to schedule a free case evaluation and receive experienced legal counsel.