UTMB violated Equal Pay Act when it paid female worker less than male worker, lawsuit alleges

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The University of Texas Medical Branch is facing a federal lawsuit after a female employee claimed she was not being paid fairly compared to a male colleague.

The lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, alleges she was making thousands of dollars less while doing the same job.

Both employees worked as "solutions architects" for UTMB for about three years. According to federal court documents, she was earning $110,000, while her male colleague was earning $125,000.

The lawsuit also alleges the woman was more qualified.

To get the job, applicants needed five years of IT-related experience and a bachelor's degree in a computer science-related field.

Court documents state she had more than 6 years of experience, a bachelor's degree in computer information systems, and 4 IT-related certifications.

Her male colleague, on the other hand, had no health care experience and no degree in technology.

The EEOC says there is sufficient evidence to find that UTMB violated the Equal Pay Act. They are not only seeking back pay but also want UTMB to put policies in place to ensure this does not happen to anyone else.

ABC13 reached out to both the EEOC and UTMB, but said they cannot comment on the ongoing litigation.