A recent class-action case against the Walt Disney Company may have implications for female workers in Texas. The plaintiffs sued over the gender pay gap, with the women earning 2% less than the men.
What statutes apply in such cases?
The case against Disney involved two laws in California relating to equal pay. Workers in Texas receive their protection from the 1963 Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Under the Equal Pay Act, employers have an obligation to provide equal pay for performing the same work. Employers may not practice other types of discrimination, including retaliation, getting less senior job titles, and lower pay.
What is retaliation?
In the Amazon case, the plaintiffs alleged that the company retaliated against them after complaining to managers and the HR department regarding unequal pay and job misclassification. These women alleged that they were demoted to lower positions, had restricted duties, and were required to report to the manager against whom they filed the reports. Such behaviors are strong examples of retaliation.
The impact of less senior job titles
Being given less senior job titles may severely impact women working in managerial positions. One of the adverse effects of a demotion is possibly reporting to someone who previously had a lower position. However, one of the worst effects of such action is lower pay.
Lower salaries for the same work
Men might receive a higher salary than their female counterparts for performing the same jobs. For example, in the Amazon case, one male researcher reportedly received 50% more pay than one of his female counterparts. These are common occurrences in many companies and account for many workplace discrimination cases.
Going through discriminatory behavior in the workforce is challenging. However, you will have a great chance of making a solid case with the proper assistance.