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How an Attorney Can Help You: A Close Look at Equal Pay Day

On Behalf of | Apr 10, 2018 | Articles, Employment Litigation

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At Makarem & Associates, we have experience in wage and hour class action litigation matters and want to help if you have not been paid fairly in the workplace. There are many violations that can take place by employers who are treating their employees unfairly. Today we want to take a closer look at Equal Pay Day and what this means for men and women in the workplace.

A Closer Look at Equal Pay Day

Equal Pay Day takes place on April 10 every year – but why? This date symbolizes how far into the year a woman has to work so that she can earn what her male counterparts did the year before. It is a day that has been created by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a way to raise public awareness and show others that there is a gap between what men and women are paid. Women tend to earn less, on average than men. The wage gap tends to be greater for women of color as well, and this is something that should be noticed and litigated when it becomes prevalent.

A study has been conducted by the Korn Ferry’s Gender Pay Index, which looks at the gender of employees and helps illustrate exactly how large the gap is. It took a look at 1.3 million employees and over 700 companies. The study shows us that women tend to make, on average, about 17.6% less than men make in the same industries. When evaluating the same job level, the gap plummets to 7%.

In 1963, the Equal Pay Act was passed in the United States, which is an act that makes it illegal for employers to pay men and women differently when they are completing the same types of work. During this time, women were earning an astounding and disheartening 59% of men’s wages.

How An Attorney Can Help

We understand the ins and outs of the California Labor Code and the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, which helps us dictate when an employer has been treating you unfairly as an employee. This Equal Pay Day and every day beyond, we want to ensure that your employer is not taking advantage of you on a financial level and paying you differently than your male counterparts, withholding pay, and more. Here are just some of the violations that we cover in our firm:

  • Employers not paying for the tasks you’ve completed
  • Employers failing to ensure that employees are meeting wage requirements
  • Employees not being paid for overtime pay
  • Employees being misclassified as independent contractors

As people put on their red today and demand equal pay in the workplace, we want to support your right to bring a claim against a company who has withheld pay, paid you unfairly, or any other violation that you can pursue now and in the future. The Institute of Women’s Policy Research shows us that women earn $0.80 on the dollar as opposed to male colleagues in the workplace, and we want to stand up for your rights.

At Makarem & Associates, we care about your rights in the workplace, especially when it comes to wage and hour class action litigation. Have you and other employees been treated unfairly and you want justice? Call us for more information on how we can assist you at(310) 312-0299.