Women Overcoming Wage Discrimination

According to U.S. census data, for every dollar men earned, women earned $.76 in 2003, down from $.77 in 2002. The wage difference cannot all be explained away by factors such as experience, education, and time in the workforce. However, working women have a legal right to a fair and equal salary, per certain federal laws.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963: Employers cannot pay unequal wages to men and women if their jobs require substantially equal skill, effort, and responsibility and are performed under similar working conditions.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act: This applies to companies with more than 15 employees. Wage discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.

Are You Being Discriminated Against?
Signs of discrimination:

• You are paid less than men who do the same or comparable work
• You have been denied promotions or training opportunities
• You are kept from high paying jobs and professions

Can You Do Anything?
Yes. You have a legal right to file a complaint. According to Equal Right Advocates, if you suspect discrimination, you can do these things:

Write Down What Happened
Record dates, places, times, and witnesses of potential discriminating activity. If your co-workers will write down what they know, it could help your case. Keep these and all records away from work.

Start a Paper Trail
Report your complaint and how you'd like it fixed in writing to your employer. Keeps copies of everything sent between you and your employer.

Review Your Personnel File
You have a right to see your file. In certain states you can request and receive copies of everything you have signed in the file.

Use the Grievance Procedure at Work
Find out your employer's policies by reading your employee manual or talking to a human resources officer. You may be able to take care of the problem through their process.

Involve Your Union
Check out your union's grievance policy to see if it discusses the sort of thing you are experiencing. Even if you a file a formal complaint through your union, you must file with a government agency if you want to file a lawsuit in a state or federal court.

File a Discrimination Complaint with a Government Agency
To do this you need to first file a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and/or the state's fair employment agency. Do not miss government deadlines. You must file within 180 days to 300 days from the act of discrimination, depending upon which state you are in. Check for all time limits.

File a Lawsuit
You can also file a lawsuit seeking monetary damages and getting your job back, if you have lost it. Your suit can ask to make your company change its practices so that further discrimination does not continue.

Lifetime Effects
Over a lifetime, unequal pay makes a big difference in a woman's ability to take care of day-to-day needs and plan for future retirement. Make sure you aren't a victim of wage discrimination.