By Marian Diaz / mdiaz1@elnuevodia.com
The Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled in a case of gender discrimination in pay mode, in alleging that the applicant was dismissed and received less pay than their male counterparts.
This is the first time a court on the island decide a case in which one of the claims is the gender pay gap.
The ruling, written by Judge Efraín Rivera Pérez, confirmed previous statements issued by the Court of Appeals and that of First Instance, but were appealed by the defendant.
is the case of Sarah Ferrer Ramírez, who was Business Manager for the market "grocery" in Conagra, responsible for generating about $ 30 million in annual sales. That figure is equivalent to 50% of revenues produced by the company in Puerto Rico. The other two Conagra Business managers were men and divided the remaining 50% market share driving a refrigerated market generates 30% of sales, and the other ran the "snacks", which produces 20%. Ramírez Ferrer was fired by general manager Carlos Delpino on June 20, 2004, due to "In the new business model did not have a position to offer." But the Court was proved that there was no such change in business model Conagra. However, we found that the applicant received unequal treatment when they received their male colleagues, by his refusal to share until the wee hours on social activities outside work. His companions, according to demand, nicknamed the "titi", what made her feel "out of the group."
A Ferrer Ramírez substituted another man, who began earning a salary $ 15,000 higher than she was earning to be fired. This despite the fact that in their assessments, she twice received recognition and monetary incentives, and there was no reprimand in his file.
Frank Zorrilla, attorney for the plaintiff, told El Nuevo Dia that the Court "did justice in a case that is in dispute since the entry of women into the workplace." Rivera Pérez
Judge concluded that in the two previous forums was demonstrated that the applicant was discriminated against on grounds of sex regarding his salary and subsequent dismissal. "Not only is sex discrimination led to the dismissal of the applicant, but also determined their salary," reads the statement.
"The primary forum found after reviewing all the evidence directly to the applicant despite the manager being more productive and more responsibility in the company, received no salary for their performance because of their sex."
