According to the Equal Pay Act, all employers must pay similar wages to both men and women who perform similar tasks at the workplace. Equal pay, in this context, refers to all wages and benefits including salary, overtime, bonus, insurance, stock options and other entitlements.
However, it is fairly common in Michigan, as well as other states, to find numerous examples of where a woman earns lesser than a man even while performing similar duties. Thankfully, there are measures that a woman can take to address this form of workplace discrimination.
The first step can be trying to resolve the issue through informal means. That is possible by sharing the issue with one’s supervisor, but if there is evidence that the supervisor is the person responsible for the wage discrimination, that employee may speak with the organization’s human resource department. If that female employee is a union member, consulting the union representative may also help.
For a more formal approach, a female employee first needs to understand the Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Information on these acts can be found on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website. Once familiar with the content of the acts, a female employee can consider lodging a formal complaint regarding the wage discrimination.
Another important point to be kept in mind is to preserve all records and documents. Records and documents, in this case, would include pay stubs, emails, memoranda, letters, performance appraisals and disciplinary actions and any other document that can be utilized as evidence while filing a formal complaint.
In many cases, it may also be helpful to consult local anti-discrimination agencies at the state, county or city level as these agencies can help a female employee understand state laws which prohibit wage discrimination in the same way that federal laws do.
Since workplace discrimination cases are often complicated because of the intricacies of law, it may be a wise decision on part of an employee to seek legal assistance with this issue. This help can be sought from the union representative or a lawyer who practices employment and discrimination laws in Michigan.
Source: DOL.gov, ” A Guide to Women’s Equal Pay Rights,” Accessed on Feb. 5, 2015
Kulingana na Sheria ya Usawa wa Mshahara, waajiri wote wanapaswa kulipa mshahara sawa kwa wanaume na wanawake ambao hufanya kazi sawa mahali pa kazi. "Mshahara sawa, katika muktadha huu, inahusu mishahara yote na faida ikiwa ni pamoja na mshahara, kazi ya ziada, bonasi, bima, chaguzi za hisa na haki nyingine. """ Hata hivyo, ni jambo la kawaida katika Michigan, kama vile majimbo mengine, kupata mifano mingi ambapo mwanamke anapata mapato ya chini kuliko mwanamume hata wakati wa kufanya kazi sawa. Kwa shukrani, kuna hatua ambazo mwanamke aweza kuchukua ili kukabiliana na aina hii ya ubaguzi kazini. Hatua ya kwanza inaweza kuwa kujaribu kutatua suala hilo kupitia njia zisizo rasmi. Hii inawezekana kwa kushiriki suala hilo na msimamizi, lakini ikiwa kuna ushahidi kwamba msimamizi ndiye anayehusika na ubaguzi wa mshahara, mfanyakazi huyo anaweza kuzungumza na idara ya rasilimali za binadamu ya shirika. Ikiwa mfanyakazi huyo wa kike ni mshiriki wa chama cha wafanyakazi, huenda ikawa na manufaa pia kushauriana na mwakilishi wa chama cha wafanyakazi. Kwa mfano, kwa ajili ya kazi ya kuajiri, ni lazima kwanza kuelewa Sheria ya Kulipa Sawa, Kichwa cha 7 cha Sheria ya Haki za Kiraia, na Sheria ya Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay. Habari kuhusu sheria hizi zinaweza kupatikana kwenye tovuti ya Tume ya Fursa za Usawa wa Ajira. Baada ya kufahamu yaliyomo ya sheria hizo, mfanyakazi wa kike anaweza kufikiria kuwasilisha malalamiko rasmi kuhusu ubaguzi wa mshahara. Jambo jingine muhimu la kukumbuka ni kuhifadhi rekodi na hati zote. Hizi ni pamoja na rekodi za malipo, barua pepe, kumbukumbu, barua, tathmini za utendaji, hatua za nidhamu, na nyaraka nyingine yoyote ambayo inaweza kutumika kama ushahidi wakati wa kuwasilisha malalamiko rasmi. Katika kesi nyingi, inaweza pia kuwa na manufaa kushauriana na mashirika ya kupambana na ubaguzi wa rangi katika ngazi ya jimbo, kaunti au mji, kwani mashirika haya yanaweza kusaidia mfanyakazi wa kike kuelewa sheria za serikali ambazo zinakataza ubaguzi wa mshahara kwa njia ile ile ambayo sheria za shirikisho hufanya. Kwa kuwa kesi za ubaguzi wa kazi mara nyingi ni ngumu kwa sababu ya utata wa sheria, inaweza kuwa uamuzi wa busara kwa mfanyakazi kutafuta msaada wa kisheria katika suala hili. Msaada huu unaweza kutafutwa kutoka kwa mwakilishi wa chama cha wafanyakazi au mwanasheria ambaye hufanya sheria za ajira na ubaguzi huko Michigan. "Kutoka kwa ""DOL.gov: A Guide to Women's Equal Pay Rights"" (Kiongozi wa Haki za Wanawake za Kulipa Sawa) (Kufikia Februari 5, 2015) "