U.S. Women's National Soccer Team pay discrimination claim

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Five women (Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, and Becky Sauerbrunn) who were members of the United States women's national soccer team filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the United States Soccer Federation of wage discrimination in April 2016.

Alex Morgan American soccer player

Alexandra Patricia Morgan Carrasco is an American soccer player. She is a forward for Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Since 2018, she has co-captained the national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe.

Hope Solo American association football player

Hope Amelia Solo is a former American soccer goalkeeper. She was a goalkeeper for the United States women's national soccer team from 2000 to 2016, and is a World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. After playing at the collegiate level for the University of Washington, she played professionally for the Philadelphia Charge in the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA). When the WUSA folded after her first season, she traveled to Europe to play for the top division leagues in Sweden and France. From 2009 to 2011, she played in the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) for Saint Louis Athletica, Atlanta Beat and magicJack. After the WPS ceased operations in early 2012, she played for the Seattle Sounders in the W-League. She most recently played for Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League, the top division of women's soccer in the United States.

Carli Lloyd American association football player

Carli Anne Hollins is an American soccer player. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, two-time FIFA Player of the Year, and a three-time Olympian. She currently plays for Sky Blue FC in the National Women's Soccer League and the United States women's national soccer team as a midfielder. Lloyd scored the gold medal-winning goals in the finals of the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She captained the United States to victory in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup as well as appearing in the 2007, 2011, and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups. Lloyd has made over 280 appearances for the U.S. national team, placing her third in caps, and has the fourth-most goals and seventh-most assists for the team.

Separately, the Women’s National Team Players Association filed a compliant in U.S. District court seeking to void an extension of its collective bargaining agreement with the United States Soccer Federation through the end of 2016. On July 3, 2016, the court ruled that the extension was valid and that the Players Association was bound by a no-strike provision in the agreement. [1]

Strike action Work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work

Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike, or simply strike, is a work stoppage, caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became common during the Industrial Revolution, when mass labor became important in factories and mines. In most countries, strike actions were quickly made illegal, as factory owners had far more power than workers. Most Western countries partially legalized striking in the late 19th or early 20th centuries.

This case does not apply to pay differences between men's and women's professional soccer leagues.

Complaint

The main complaints from the players involve claims of wage discrimination. The petitioners pointed out that men receive a $5,000 bonus for a loss in a friendly match, while women receive nothing for a loss or a draw. However, when the teams win, the men receive as much as $17,625, but women only receive $1,350. Further, in 2011, when the women placed second in their World Cup, they were awarded $1.8 million, split evenly among the 24 players on the team. The men's team made it only to the round of 16 that year; however, they were awarded $5 million. In 2014, when Germany won the Men's World Cup, the US team was awarded $35 million by FIFA, while the women received 5% of that for their Cup victory in 2015. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

2011 FIFA Womens World Cup 2011 edition of the FIFA Womens World Cup

The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup was the sixth FIFA Women's World Cup competition, the world championship for women's national association football teams. It was held from 26 June to 17 July 2011 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in October 2007. Japan won the final against the United States on a penalty shoot-out following a 2–2 draw after extra time and became the first Asian team to win a senior FIFA World Cup.

FIFA International governing body of association football

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association is an organization which describes itself as an international governing body of association football, fútsal, beach soccer, and efootball. FIFA is responsible for the organization of football's major international tournaments, notably the World Cup which commenced in 1930 and the Women's World Cup which commenced in 1991.

The United States Soccer Federation responded to the complaint in a statement detailing its efforts to promote women's soccer, including its support of the National Women's Soccer League. [10]

National Womens Soccer League Professional soccer league, highest level of womens soccer in the United States

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league owned by the teams, and under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federation. At the top of the United States league system, it represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The NWSL was established in 2012 as a successor to Women's Professional Soccer (2007–2012), which was itself the successor to Women's United Soccer Association (2001–2003). The league began play in 2013 with eight teams, four of which were former members of Women's Professional Soccer. With the addition of three expansion teams in Houston (2014), Orlando (2016), Salt Lake City (2018) and the loss of FC Kansas City and Boston Breakers, it now has nine teams throughout the United States.

In April 2017, the Players Association and the Federation negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement which may render the players' EEOC complaint moot. As of April 2017, the EEOC had not issued a decision. [11]

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Title IX United States federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally-funded education programs

Title IX is a federal civil rights law in the United States of America that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. This is Public Law No. 92‑318, 86 Stat. 235, codified at 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681–1688. It was co-authored and introduced by Senator Birch Bayh in the U.S. Senate, and Congresswoman Patsy Mink in the House. It was later renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act following Mink's death in 2002. The following is the original text as written and signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1972:

United States Soccer Federation official governing body of soccer in the United States

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF), commonly referred to as U.S. Soccer, is a 501(c)(3) organization and the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. With headquarters in Chicago, the FIFA member governs U.S. amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, beach soccer, futsal, and Paralympic national teams. U.S. Soccer sanctions referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Federation also administers and operates the U.S. Open Cup, which was first held in 1914.

Womens sports Sports participated by females

Women's sports includes amateur as well as women's professional sports, in all varieties of sports. Female participation and popularity in sports increased dramatically in the twentieth century, especially in the last quarter-century, reflecting changes in modern societies that emphasized gender parity. Although the level of participation and performance still varies greatly by country and by sport, women's sports are widely accepted throughout the world today. In a few instances, such as figure skating, female athletes rival or exceed their male counterparts in popularity. In many sports women usually do not compete on equal terms against men.

United States womens national soccer team Womens national association football team representing the United States

The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States in international women's soccer. The team is the most successful in international women's soccer, winning four Women's World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals and eight CONCACAF Gold Cups. It medaled in every World Cup and Olympic tournament in women's soccer history from 1991 to 2015, before being knocked out in the quarterfinal of the 2016 Summer Olympics. The team is governed by United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF.

Equal Pay Act of 1963

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a United States labor law amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, aimed at abolishing wage disparity based on sex. It was signed into law on June 10, 1963, by John F. Kennedy as part of his New Frontier Program. In passing the bill, Congress stated that sex discrimination:

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, children, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and retaliation for reporting, participating in, and/or opposing a discriminatory practice.

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Megan Rapinoe American soccer player

Megan Anna Rapinoe is an American professional soccer player who plays for and captains Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League, as a midfielder and winger. As a member of the United States women's national soccer team, she helped the U.S. win the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the gold at the 2012 London Olympics, and finish runners-up at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Since 2018, she co-captains her national team alongside Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan.

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Christen Press American professional soccer player

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The gender pay gap or gender wage gap is the average difference between the remuneration for men and women who are working. Women are generally paid less than men. There are two distinct numbers regarding the pay gap: unadjusted versus adjusted pay gap. The latter takes into account differences in hours worked, occupations chosen, education and job experience. For example, someone who takes time off will likely not earn as much as someone who does not take time off from work. In the United States, for example, the unadjusted average female's annual salary has commonly been cited as being 78% of the average male salary, compared to 80–98% for the adjusted average salary.

Abby Dahlkemper American association football player

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History of the United States womens national soccer team aspect of history

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The 2018 United States Soccer Federation presidential election was held in February 2018 to determine the next President of the United States Soccer Federation. Having served as President since 2006, incumbent Sunil Gulati has elected not to run for re-election, after the United States men's national soccer team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986.

References

  1. "Judge: US women's soccer team has no right to strike". U.S. News & World Report . June 3, 2016.
  2. Das, Andrew (31 March 2016). "Top Female Players Accuse U.S. Soccer of Wage Discrimination" . Retrieved 2 June 2017 via NYTimes.com.
  3. Das, Andrew. "Top Female Players Accuse U.S Soccer of Wage Discrimination". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  4. "Data: How does the U.S. women's soccer team pay compare to the men?" . Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  5. Santhanam, Laura. "Data: How does the U.S. women's soccer team pay compare to the men?". PBS NewsHour. PBS NewsHour. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  6. Wire, SI. "Court rules in favor of U.S. soccer in WNT lawsuit" . Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  7. Futbol, Planet. "Court rules in favor of U.S. Soccer, USWNT can't strike". Sports Illustrated. Sports Illustrated.
  8. "Team USA members on historic fight for equal pay in women's soccer" . Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  9. O'Donnell, Norah. "Team USA members on historic fight for equal pay in women's soccer". CBS News. CNN. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  10. "U.S. Soccer responds to USWNT's wage complaint". Sports Illustrated . March 31, 2016.
  11. "Goal Reached: US Women's Soccer Team Gets New Contract". U.S. News & World Report. April 5, 2017.