ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Family Dollar has agreed to pay $45 million to settle a gender bias lawsuit that dates 16 years ago.

The Charlotte Observer cites the settlement in a Wednesday report as saying 37,000 female managers of Family Dollar stores allege they were paid less than their male counterparts for doing the same job, a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

The discount retailer's headquarters are in Matthews, North Carolina, with over 8,000 stores throughout the country.

U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn signed off on the settlement March 14. It pertains to compensation paid to affected managers from July 2002 to November 2017.

Family Dollar denied any wrongdoing, saying that it "has treated all employees fairly with regard to salaries."

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Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com