ALEXANDRIA – A former director of operations for Leebo’s Stores Inc. is suing the company over allegations of gender discrimination resulting in inequality of pay.
Lois Ouzts filed a lawsuit on Feb. 29 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Alexandria Division against Leebo’s Stores Inc., citing violation of the Equal Pay of 1963 under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
According to the complaint, Ouzts was employed by the defendant from July 2003 until July 10, 2015. During her employment, Ouzst worked as a cashier, store manager and supervisor until she was promoted on Nov. 21, 2011, to the position of director of operations.
In September 2014, the plaintiff claims that her workload and salary increased, earning $1,500 per week. Ouzts was put on unpaid medical sick leave and resigned from her employment on July 10, 2015. The plaintiff avers that her male job predecessor was paid double her salary with benefits for the same amount of work responsibilities, which she reports as a violation of the Equal Pay Act.
Ouzts seeks unpaid back wages in the amount of the difference between the wages she received and her predecessor’s wages, statutory liquidated damages, prejudgment interest, attorney fees, costs and a trial by jury. She is represented by Daniel E. Broussard Jr. of Broussard, Halcomb & Vizzier in Alexandria.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Alexandria Division Case number 1:16-cv-00277