U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in New York ruled that female employees at Sterling Jewelers can pursue class action status for their claims of sex discrimination at the retail chain, according to a news report.

The ruling means that 16 women who filed charges alleging unfair employment practices can try to broaden their complaint to cover current and former employees corporate wide.

Sterling argues that the women can’t pursue a class action because they signed agreements when they were hired to submit employment disputes to binding arbitration.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Sterling on behalf of the female employees last September for allegedly paying their male employees more money.

JCK