In recent years, issues related to gender discrimination and salary discrepancies between U.S. men and women have been the topic of much debate. According to the White House, despite the fact that women make up nearly 50 percent of the U.S. workforce, they earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. While the Obama administration has taken steps to reinforce measures set force in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and close the pay gap between U.S. male and female workers, the problem still persists.
A female director who worked to provide food and beverage services to a casino recently filed a lawsuit against her employer citing wage and gender discrimination. An experienced professional, the woman earned an annual salary of $80,000 in her position as food and beverage director.
Upon learning a former subordinate who was recently promoted to an equal position was making $115,000 annually, the woman grew concerned. Upon further investigation into the matter, she learned that other female employees at the company were also being paid less than their male counterparts.
The woman recently filed a lawsuit in which she accuses her employer of wage discrimination on the basis of gender. In the lawsuit, the woman contends the male colleague, who out-earned her by $35,000 annually, performed the exact same job responsibilities and was not as experienced. Therefore, she contends, the only reason cited for his increased pay must relate to gender.
Women or men who believe they are the victims of wage and gender discrimination would be wise to seek the advice of an employment attorney. Under the Equal Pay Act of 1963, it’s illegal to discriminate against and pay an individual more or less based solely on their gender. Wage discrimination has real-life consequences that can result in an individual to suffering financially not only their working years, but also throughout retirement.
Source: KVVU-TV, “Vegas casino worker files gender discrimination lawsuit,” Elizabeth Watts, April 29, 2014 Whitehouse.gov.com, “Did You Know That Women Are Still Paid Less Than Men?,” 2014