Wage Discrimination

Simply put, it is illegal to pay one person less than another for the same work on the basis of gender ethnicity and other characteristics. The Equal Pay Act (EPA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and other federal and state laws prohibit employers from paying women less than men for work requiring equal skill, effort and responsibility. Importantly, there is no “intent” requirement under the EPA; it is simply an objective standard for ensuring men and women are paid equally for the same work.

These types of inequitable wage issues frequently arise when a company sets compensation, advancement, hiring, and performance review policies at a corporate level, which then trickle down to the works and have different types of impacts. This is called a "disparate impact" under the law. It occurs where a policy is facially neutral, but because of the way it is designed or implemented, it adversely and disparately impacts certain groups more than others. The classic examples are pay scales and hiring policies that disproportionately place women and minorities into lower roles with lower associated pay than similarly experienced colleagues.

Stueve Siegel Hanson advocates for employees to ensure fairness in pay. Our firm has significant experience advocating for victims of wage discrimination. Our firm prosecuted a collective action against a national burger chain on behalf of female general managers and assistant general managers at corporate-owned restaurants and made a significant recovery for the workers. Our firm is currently representing female and minority financial advisors against a national wealth manager for wage discrimination.

If you suspect that you might be the victim of wage discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, or any other protected characteristic, it is important to act promptly. For example, the EPA requires claims to be brought within two to three years. Call us at 1.800.714.0360 or contact us here for a free, confidential consultation.