
The complaint states that just 3.4 percent of Toshiba's 6,237 managers are women, despite Toshiba creating a "Gender Equality Office" six years ago. "We believe the class claims are significant, and will be substantiated in the litigation," said David Sanford, a partner at Sanford Wittels & Heisler LLP who represents Cyphers, calling the numbers "atrocious."
Cyphers says she was paid between $90,000 and $91,800 a year between 2008 and 2010, while men in comparable jobs at Toshiba pulled in $120,000 a year. The lawsuit seeks class action status on behalf of all current and former female employees of Toshiba within the United States.
Toshiba does not comment on pending litigation.