Discrimination in Pay or Wages

Have you recently learned that you are in the same position as other employees who earn a higher wage than you do? Or did you discover that other employees who perform the same or similar work tasks as you have notably higher salaries? If you are in this situation and you are a member of a protected class, it is possible that you have experienced unlawful employment discrimination on the basis of pay. In short, under both state and federal law, an employer cannot pay one employee less for the same work as another employee because of that first employee’s sex, race, religion, disability, and more. Our Palm Beach Gardens employment discrimination lawyers can explain in more detail.

Understanding Protected Classes and Employment Discrimination in Pay 

If you are a member of a protected class (or a perceived member) and you are paid less than other employees in the same work in your workplace because of your membership in the protected class, you may be able to file an employment discrimination case. What is a protected class? Protected classes are determined by law, and common examples include:

• Race;
• Sex;
• Pregnancy;
• Religion;
• Disability;
• Age (if 40 or over); and
• National origin.

Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in Employee Pay

There are numerous laws that may apply to protect you if you are being paid less than other employees on the basis of your sex, race, religion, disability, age, genetic information, and more. The following are laws that may apply to your case and under which you may be able to file a claim:

• Equal Pay Act of 1963, which requires employers to pay men and women equally when they do the same work in the same workplace;
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits pay discrimination on the basis of race, sex and gender, religion, national origin, and more;
• Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits pay discrimination on the basis of disability;
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which prohibits an employer from discrimination against employees aged 40 and older in pay and other respects;
• Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, which prohibits pay discrimination on the basis of genetic information; and
• Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA).

Types of Pay Covered

These laws apply to all types of compensation: salaries, hourly wages, overtime wages, bonuses, and benefits.

Contact a Palm Beach Gardens Employment Discrimination Lawyer for Help with Your Florida Case

If you have learned that you are being paid less than other employees in the same position as you, and there is reason to believe or to suspect that the pay gap is a result of any type of discrimination, it is crucial to seek legal help as soon as possible. As we discussed above, there are multiple federal laws in place that protect job applicants and employees from pay discrimination, and the FCRA in Florida also provides protections. One of the experienced Palm Beach Gardens employment discrimination attorneys at Sconzo Law Office can discuss the details of your case with you today to help you determine the best law under which to file your claim and to assist you in moving forward with your complaint. Contact our firm to learn more about the employment discrimination services we provide to employees in South Florida.

Sources:

eeoc.gov/statutes/equal-pay-act-1963

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0760/0760ContentsIndex.html

eeoc.gov/youth/what-laws-does-eeoc-enforce