Omni Hotels Management Corporation has been cleared of allegations involving gender-based pay bias, following a decisive ruling by a Dallas federal jury. The verdict comes after a years-long legal battle and a retrial ordered by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The jury unanimously found that Omni did not engage in gender discrimination against former food and beverage director Sarah Lindsley, who had alleged she was paid less than her male predecessors when she accepted a position at Omni’s Corpus Christi location in 2015.
Lindsley’s lawsuit, originally filed in 2017, claimed her starting salary of $57,000 was unfair compared to that of three men who previously held the same position. However, the jury heard evidence that Lindsley received regular raises, ultimately becoming the highest-paid food and beverage director in the property’s history. Omni’s legal team presented that Lindsley entered the role with less experience than her male counterparts, which accounted for the difference in initial compensation.
“This jury’s decision reaffirms Omni Hotels’ longstanding commitment to equitable employment practices and fair compensation,” said Clay Hoblit, attorney for Omni Hotels. “We are pleased that the facts prevailed and the court recognized that this was not a case of gender-based pay bias.”
Despite a previous jury awarding Lindsley over $25 million in damages in 2023, the Fifth Circuit overturned that decision in December 2024, citing inconsistencies in the liability findings and ordering a new trial.
While the most recent jury sided entirely with Omni, Lindsley’s legal counsel has stated intentions to appeal.
The case, Lindsley v. TRT Holdings Inc. et al. (Case No. 3:17-cv-02942), was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
