Discrimination scandal at Birkenstock
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: For years, women have received around one euro less hourly wage from the shoe manufacturer than men. Although these differences have been compensated since 2012, an employee complaint has now brought these conditions to light.
Especially the clean image of the health shoe manufacturer Birkenstock got a scratch. In times of the female quota, the group paid fewer years to female employees than men. In certain cases, women earned around € 8.72 per hour. Men in comparable positions got 9, 86 Euro.
Birkenstock describes the wage inequality between men and women as "legacy" of 2013 working management. The new management clearly distances itself from the different salaries. Meanwhile, the wage level is balanced.
The years of discrimination could still be expensive for Birkenstock. About 100 complaints are currently before the Labor Court in Koblenz. The group is threatened with high compensation payments.
Reason for the complaint wave is a procedure of a single coworker. The State Labor Court Mainz compensated them with a sum of 6, 000 euros. It is true that employees do not have to receive the same salary. Nevertheless, women should not generally be paid less than men.
