October 4, 2022
It is illegal for employers to pay certain employees less depending on their gender under the California Equal Pay Law. Despite this, surveys and statistics reveal that women earn 79 cents for every dollar men earn for doing the same jobs. As a working person in California, you should know your rights and options if an employer is engaging in discriminatory wage practices.
How does California apply the Equal Pay Law?
In a relatively recent development, the California Equal Pay Act now requires employers to report how much employees earn and the functions of their jobs. In addition, the Equal Pay Act requires the ethnicity, race, and gender of employees to be reported so that the data can be quickly examined. This information helps the state investigate employers when allegations of gender discrimination or illegal wage practices arise.
If you believe that your sex/gender is a reason you are being paid less, you can work with an employment law attorney and file a wage claim.
These are possible indicators that you are being discriminated against in your workplace:
- You are assigned more work without any promotion or pay increase that reflects the new load.
- You work more hours than you should for the same amount of pay.
- You are rejected for promotions or raises despite having higher qualifications than your co-workers.
- You have observed a trend in the company where people of a specific gender receive promotions and pay raises much more quickly and frequently.
These are just some of the signs that could suggest a significant problem of discrimination in the workplace. There may also be other signs unique to your job or industry. If you suspect or believe that you are not being paid fairly, consider contacting a California employment law attorney to learn about your options. Para Los Trabajadores is here to help you.
