WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — A former employee at Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Williamsburg has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit claiming racial discrimination.
Gladys Brown filed the federal lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch just a few months ago, alleging that her former employer discriminated against her because she’s black.
According to court documents, the discrimination allegedly happened between March and April of 2016.
The complaint says she then filed a charge of discrimination a few months later.
She claims her white counterparts, in the same position, were earning about $10,000 more than she was.
The civil complaint says Brown started working for the brewery back in 2012 and had most recently been promoted there as a planner and scheduler.
Brown claims she was promoted and given a salary in the lower pay bracket because she was black.
Documents say she told her supervisor she intended to apply.
And shortly after, received an email with information on the position, which included a salary in a lower pay bracket than what was initially posted online.
The complaint says Brown was never able to get a clear answer on why there was a pay discrepancy, and that the same position at two of the other Anheuser- Busch locations both listed the salary in the higher pay bracket — more than Brown’s promotion salary.
The complaint says her position was ultimately cut.
10 On Your Side reached out to Brown’s attorney and the brewery but haven’t heard back yet.
We did find about a month after Brown’s discrimination charge was filed, Anheuser-Busch signed an Equal Pay Pledge.
The pledge says in part, “At Anheuser-Busch, we believe in equal pay for equal work. We use a rigorous and gender-blind compensation process that was developed and validated by independent experts.”
Brown is asking for compensatory damages of $500,000 and punitive damages of $2,000,000.
Documents show she has demanded a jury trial.
While no court dates have been set, a summons has been issued for Anheuser-Busch Brewing.
