Experts from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) and The George Washington University are available to comment on the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on

Walmart v. Dukes

. According to IWPR research, certified class action settlements are more likely than other settlements to include measures to hold supervisors accountable for preventing discrimination and are more likely to establish objective criteria for recruitment and termination decisions. IWPR research also found that pay secrecy is pervasive in the private sector, where the gender gap is 23 percent compared to 11 percent in the public sector. Sixty-five percent of employees in the public sector report that pay information is publicly available whereas sixty-once percent of private sector employees are discouraged or prohibited from discussing wage and salary information.

The following experts are available for media interviews. To reach any of the experts listed, please contact Caroline Dobuzinskis at



dobuzinskis@iwpr.org



or by phone at

202.785.5100







.

Government policies to eliminate workplace discrimination

Heidi Hartmann, President of IWPR

: Dr. Hartmann is a co-author of

Still A Man’s Labor Market: The Long-Term Earnings Gap

and

Equal Pay for Working Families

. She lectures widely on women, economics, and public policy; frequently testifies before the U.S. Congress; and is often cited as an authority in various media outlets.

Equal access to salary and benefits in the workplace




Barbara Gault, Vice President and Executive Director of IWPR

: Barbara Gault is the co-author of  “The Costs and Benefits of Policies to Advance Work Life Integration.” She has testified in Congress, has spoken on women’s issues in venues throughout the country, and has appeared in a range of media outlets.

Robert Drago, Director of Research at IWPR: Dr. Drago is a blogger for

The Huffington Post

. He is the author of

Unlevel Playing Fields: Understanding Wage Inequality and Discrimination

and

Striking a Balance: Work, Family, Life

. Dr. Drago has commented on women’s issues in a broad range of prominent media outlets.

The impact of class action suits on reducing workplace discrimination




Cynthia Deitch, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies, Sociology, and Public Policy at The George Washington University

: Dr. Deitch is co-author of the IWPR report,

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope

. This report analyzes over 500 court-supervised employment discrimination settlements involving alleged sex and/or race employment discrimination.

The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR)




conducts rigorous research and disseminates its findings to address the needs of women and their families, promote public dialogue, and strengthen communities and societies. IWPR is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization that also works in affiliation with the women’s studies and public policy programs at George Washington University.