Plaintiff Erin Pydlek has filed a gender discrimination and retaliation complaint against Mark Anthony Brewing, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 28, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that Pydlek was paid less than her male counterparts, faced sexist scrutiny, and was ultimately replaced by a man after raising concerns about pay inequity.
According to the complaint, Pydlek joined Mark Anthony Brewing in September 2018 as the Director of Procurement. During her tenure, she led and managed the company's procurement supply chain for all direct materials, significantly contributing to the exponential growth of the White Claw brand. Despite her accomplishments, Pydlek claims that when she requested a salary adjustment to match her contributions and align with market rates for similar roles held by men, she faced unwarranted criticism from company leadership.
Pydlek's complaint details how Mark Anthony's leadership began scrutinizing her performance and interpersonal skills following her request for a raise. She alleges that this scrutiny was sexist in nature and that when she voiced these concerns, the company retaliated by documenting alleged performance deficiencies. "When I complained about sexism and pay inequity," Pydlek states in her filing, "the company began papering my file with unfounded criticisms."
The complaint further asserts that on March 14, 2023—coincidentally Equal Pay Day—Mark Anthony eliminated Pydlek’s Director role only to replace it with a Vice President position filled by Ryan Nied, a man who had been out of the beverage industry for nearly six years. According to Pydlek, Nied is now being paid more for performing substantially equivalent work.
In addition to claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Pydlek's lawsuit also invokes state laws including the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois Equal Pay Act. The plaintiff seeks various forms of relief including back pay for lost wages and benefits, compensatory damages for emotional distress and other non-pecuniary losses, punitive damages under federal law and state law liquidated damages provisions.
Pydlek is represented by attorneys Gail S. Eisenberg, David A. Eisenberg, and Alexander N. Loftus from Loftus & Eisenberg Ltd., based in Chicago. The case has been assigned Case ID No. 24-4357.