Prosecutors and PDs will share in $18M equal-pay settlement
Lawyers and sheriff’s deputies in Fulton County, Georgia, will share an $18 million settlement in eight lawsuits claiming they were paid less than others in the same civil-service category.
The money will be paid to 343 county employees, including public defenders and assistant district attorneys, report the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Daily Report (sub. req.).
Plaintiffs’ lawyer Lee Parks told the Journal-Constitution the problems began when the county gave a 36 percent raise to lawyers in the county attorney’s office, but failed to give raises to other county employees who did identical or similar work.
The county will pay $18 million in back pay and attorney fees. When the boost to pay and pensions is factored in, the payout is valued at $21 million.
Judicial law clerks received $4.6 million last year in a similar lawsuit.
