Texas workers are likely covered under the Equal Pay Act (EPA). It was designed to make sure that individuals were being paid based on their performance and role with a company as opposed to their gender. The EPA in the United States was passed in the 1960s at about the same time as other important legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This legislation was aimed at promoting an equal workplace based on race as well as gender and other attributes. The EPA itself was meant to strengthen an earlier piece of legislation called the Fair Labor Standards Act that was passed in 1938. Additionally, the 2009 Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act made the EPA even stronger by allowing workers to pursue back payments indefinitely if they were improperly paid based on gender. Employees may also seek a pay raise comparable to what others in a similar role make.
Despite the fact that this and other types of legislation exist, it is believed that women are still paid less than men on average. This is partially because the law is not necessarily applied evenly. Furthermore, it is somewhat of a taboo for people to discuss their salaries with colleagues. Therefore, it is possible that an individual is being paid less without even knowing that this is the case.
Disparate pay polices may be a sign of gender discrimination at work. Those who feel that they have been discriminated against based on gender may have grounds for legal action. They may be able to pursue back pay as well as other damages in a lawsuit or a negotiated settlement. An employment law attorney may help to obtain evidence such as payroll records to strengthen a case against an employer.
