Four Erlanger Health System employees have filed a federal civil lawsuit against the health system, alleging violations of equal pay and fair labor standards laws.
PDF: Erlanger complaint
The plaintiffs -- Geraldine S. Abbott, Carolyn M. Galyon, Yolanda M. King and Cheryl D. Smith -- are all female employees of Erlanger's resource and reimbursement department, according to the complaint, filed Monday in U.S. District Court.
They allege sex discrimination in pay, a claim based on figures from a database of public employees' salaries published by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, said Frank Pinchak, the plaintiffs' attorney. The database lists a male employee who was compensated considerably more than the plaintiffs for doing the same work, he said.
The Times Free Press obtained and published employee salaries from Erlanger and other public entities using open records requests earlier this year.
The plaintiffs also claim the hospital does not create and maintain accurate records of hours worked and does not compensate them for regularly working more than 40 hours per week, according to the complaint.
Erlanger officials could not be reached for comment Friday.
The plaintiffs are seeking back pay for uncompensated overtime work, damages and other relief they may be entitled to under the Equal Pay Act and Fair Labor Standards Act.
They also are seeking damages for "humiliation and embarrassment" and other relief they may be entitled to under the Tennessee Human Rights Act, according to the complaint.
Erlanger has 21 days to answer the complaint, and a trial will likely be scheduled within 15 months, Pinchak said.