Every employee, irrespective of gender, age, caste, etc., has the right to receive equal pay for equal work. The gender gap is the primary reason behind most employers not providing equal pay for men and women.
Wage and hour discrimination means paying someone less because of their age, gender, caste, race, or religion. These violations occur because employers fail to pay workers for their performance and skill. An employment lawyer in New Jersey can help you get justice and protect your rights when facing wage and hour discrimination.
Common reasons for wage and hour discrimination.
- Can not pay the minimum salary
- Can not pay overtime wage
- Confuse employees as exempt from overtime
- Fail to pay compensation for all hours worked
- Can not provide required meals and rest periods
- Work travel
- Unpaid training and meeting
Terms related to Wage and Hour discrimination
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Equal pay compensation discrimination
Paying an employee a lower stipend because of their origin, age, sex, or religion is equal compensation discrimination. Federal, state, and local laws protect their worker from wage discrimination along with the federal Equal Pay Act.
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Unfair wages
In unfair wages, the employer cannot fairly compensate their workers. Several violations, such as wage theft, failing to pay minimum wage, etc., fall under ‘unfair wages.’
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Law on equal pay for equal work
Equal Pay Act of 1963 states that every employer must pay their workers equally for similar work. Unequal pay victims can file a claim with U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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Comparable worth
Comparable worth is a term or principle that every man and woman must receive equal pay for the same amount of work. It is also known as pay equity and or sex equity.
Know your rights.
You have every right to:
- Complain to your employer regarding wage discrimination
- File a claim or charges with a government agency, such as the federal Equal Pay Act or your state enforcement agency.
- Sue your employer for wage discrimination. Under the federal Equal Pay Act, you are eligible to go straight to court. You are not required to file a charge with government policy.
- Testify or participate in the investigation with state or government policy or your own coworker’s pay discrimination claim.
- You have the right to acquire a duplicate of your personnel file. You can further request your personnel file and evaluate your performance and information about how the employer decided your pay and other helpful information that you could use for evidence purposes.
- Stay free from retaliation. It is illegal if your employer retaliates or punishes you for exercising any of your rights. Retaliation includes getting fired, demotion, changing your shift or duties, or anything else that harms you.
