Female sales reps for the drug company, Daiichi Sankyo, have filed a class action sex and gender discrimination suit against the company in federal court in San Francisco. The Japanese drug company makes cholesterol and high blood pressure medications. The plaintiffs claim that (1) the company pays female sales staff less than men for the same work; (2) promotes women more slowly; and, (3) treats women who are pregnant or have young children worse than other employees.
Here's the essence of the complaints:
Daiichi treats them largely as props in a sales and marketing strategy. Like dinners, sports outings, and speaking fees, female sales reps are considered one of many variations on the inducements that the pharmaceutical company dangles to sway doctors to its brand. Daiichi asks its female sales reps to wine and dine male doctors; offer friendships and gifts to foster 'quid pro quo' relationships; and devote unbounded attention to obtain their allegiance to Daiichi's drugs.
Source: Associated Press
