Workplace Discrimination and Low Compensation By Dan Atkerson on February 08, 2019

Workers should be paid equally based on their job position and their duties. It’s the law of the nation, and yet there are numerous instances in which workers are not compensated fairly for the work that they do. When this occurs, it could be a sign of workplace or employment discrimination, which violates the law. Carrollton, TX attorney Dan A. Atkerson can help you if an issue with your wages is the result of mistreatment by your employer.

Let’s take a moment to consider various kinds of workplace discrimination and how they can affect your salary, bonus, and potential raises.

Sexism and Lower Wages

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was passed to prevent sex discrimination at the workplace, and yet we still hear about women not making as much as their male co-workers who perform the same job. This speaks to the deeply engrained sexism in many workplaces, which you should not have to tolerate.

Racial and Religious Discrimination

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has protected countless individuals from discrimination while on the job. If your employer is paying you less than other workers because of your race, religion, or country of origin, this is in violation of the law and you deserve to receive just wages for the work that you do.

Age Discrimination

Just because an employee is older or younger should not have an impact on how much they earn, whether it’s hourly or salaried. This is covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which keeps the workplace fair no matter how old you are.

Discrimination Over Disabilities

Workplaces can make reasonable accommodations for employees who are disabled. That should never be used as an excuse to limit or lower wages for disable employees. Equal pay should be given for equal work. These protections are covered in Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Discrimination Over Sexual Orientation

Your sexual orientation is your business, not your employer’s, and it should have no bearing on your earnings. Yet there are times when bigots at the workplace target the LGBTQ community. This discrimination, like the others noted above, is unacceptable.

We should note that while the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) interprets protections for sexual orientation in the spirit of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the language law itself has yet to be changed to specifically include sexual orientation. The same applies to transgender rights and laws regarding transgender discrimination.

Failure to Give a Raise

Sometimes the act of discrimination comes with promotions and raises. You may be making a fair and equitable wage as you begin your job, but your employer limits the amount you make because of your identity. This could mean earning less than a co-worker in the same position after you’ve both been at the job for a few years.

While the ages you earn are not low, some form of discrimination may be delaying a raise you have earned or holding back your total earnings in your career.

What to Do If You Suspect Workplace Discrimination

If you feel that you are the victim of workplace discrimination, it’s important that you get in touch with the EEOC as soon as possible. File a complaint with the EEOC so that it can be properly investigated. You should also consider consulting attorney about possible legal actions against your employer for their act of discrimination.

Learn More About Your Legal Options

For more information about your legal rights following mistreatment by your employer, be sure to contact an experienced employment law and workplace attorney. We at the Law Offices of Dan A. Atkerson are here to help. You can reach us by phone at (214) 651-4187.