How the Equal Pay Act Affects You

Working in the corporate world often means you are involved in office politics. There may be a complicated hierarchy that you have to work your way through until you finally get to that prized position. What can be frustrating is when no matter how hard you work, you are not getting recognized for it. Hard work should be rewarded, regardless of gender or personal preferences, which is why the federal Equal Pay Act was created in 1963. Prior to this ruling, there was only the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which was created in 1938. The FLSA is still incredibly vital to those in the working world today, because it guarantees a minimum wage as well as paid overtime. While still important, it was missing a key component that was added with the equal pay act.

In the 1960s, women were beginning to enter the labor force at a rate greater than they ever had before. This was a new problem and many corporations didn't know how to handle it. Unfortunately, many women were discriminated against in the workplace. This is what brought about this ruling. The Equal Pay Act aimed at ending wage disparity based on gender. A large part of the reason that this act was even established is because it was found to violate fair competition. If women were at a disadvantage to all their male counterparts in the workplace, it is unfair. There are many loopholes that corporations try to find in order to avoid a lawsuit from one of their employees. For example, an employer may give one employee a different job description than another but they may actually be performing the same duties. On paper, it appears as if they are doing separate jobs, so unequal pay is justified. In reality, these workers are doing the same job. If this can be proven in the court of law then the worker who is paid less may be entitled to a claim. When President John F. Kennedy signed this bill into law, he made it possible for women to file claims if these equality rights were violated. Women may have the right to file a claim against their employer if they are being paid a different wage based on their sex alone, if they are denied a job simply because of their gender and they must also prove that they perform the same job duties as their male counterparts and are getting paid less for it. So did this act actually do anything? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average woman's salary has drastically increased since 1963.


Unfortunately, some women still have problems obtaining equality in the workplace. It may be difficult for one person to go up against a big corporation in order to prove that her rights are being violated. Fortunately, there is a legal help for those who feel as if they are being discriminated against. At Zinda & Davis, they are passionate about the rights of workers and can help you if you are being somekeyword. Get in touch with an somekeyword from their firm today for more information on how they can help you get justice in the workplace. If you work hard, you deserve just compensation regardless of your gender.

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