Feds sue Wisconsin military department over gender discrimination

By The Associated Press
Wisconsin Flag.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Federal attorneys have filed a lawsuit alleging the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs refused to pay a woman applying for a supervisor position as much as male candidates.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the action against the agency in federal court in Madison on Thursday. The lawsuit alleges that Michelle Hartness applied for a supervisory position in Wisconsin Emergency Management, a WDMA division, in 2016.

The WDMA’s leader at the time, Donald Dunbar, offered Hartness the job at 10% less than what the outgoing male supervisor had been making. After Hartness refused the offer, Dunbar offered the job to three other men for more than what he had offered Hartness. A WDMA spokesperson declined comment.

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