Church-Run Schools and the Equal Pay Act

• A federal district court in Ohio ruled that a church-operated school was subject to the Equal Pay Act. The school, consisting of instruction from preschool through secondary levels, was operated by four Church of Christ congregations. The school adopted a policy of paying its teachers who qualified as a "head of household" an additional allowance of $1,500 per year. A "head of household" was defined as a teacher who was married with dependent children. The sponsoring churches adhered to the conviction that the Bible places the responsibility of the "head of a family" on the husband. Accordingly, the head of household allowance was not paid to a female unless her husband was either absent or unable to work. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") charged the school with violating the Equal Pay Act, and demanded that all employees be paid the head of household allowance ...