Two Maryland auto dealerships will pay $62,500 to settle a pay discrimination and retaliation lawsuit.

Jerry’s Chevrolet and Jerry's Motor Cars, both in Baltimore County, agreed to settle the suit, which was brought last year by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The matter involved a female dispatcher who complained she was paid less than a male counterpart, then fired after she complained about the disparity and requested greater compensation, the federal agency said in a press release about the settlement. A week separated the complaint and the dismissal, the release said.

In addition to the settlement payment for back pay and damages, the dealerships agreed to adopt an equal-pay complaint policy and an antidiscrimination training program for employees, as well as report to the EEOC on its handling of any complaints.

“Women are still paid 83 cents to every dollar earned by men,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence in the release. “This problem cannot be fixed without women being able to speak out when they learn that they are paid less than male co-workers.”

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