Yesterday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal commission on fair employment practices, ruled that New York City has underpaid its female and minority employees, engaging in a broad pattern of discrimination that could cost the City hundreds of millions of dollars. From the New York Times:

The ruling comes in response to a complaint brought against the administraton of former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on behalf of more than 1,000 administrative managers employed by the city and represented by Local 1180 of the Communications Workers of America.

Specifically, the commission found that “structural and historic problems” have resulted in the pay of minorities and women being suppressed.

“This rate of pay is much less than their white male counterparts’ in similarly situated jobs and titles,” according to the commission’s findings.

Murphy has enrolled thousands of 1180 students over the years, and the Chair of our Advisory Board and President of Local 1180, Arthur Cheliotes, has been making this case for nearly two decades. He has argued that Local 1180 members, mostly women of color, do not received adequate compensation, career advancement opportunities, or recognition for their achievements.

The EEOC is calling for $246 million in back pay, a minimum salary of $92,00 — and, among other things, additional City funding for 1180 members enrolled at the Murphy Institute.

The City has yet to respond to the findings. If the dispute is not settled, the EEOC will issue punitive damages