Equal Pay/Compensation Discrimination
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) requires:
- that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work;
- that the jobs must be substantially equal, not identical; and
- that the job content has to be substantially equal, not job titles.
The EPA covers all forms of pay including: salary; overtime pay; bonuses; bonus plans; benefits; stock options; profit sharing; life insurance; vacation pay; holiday pay; cleaning allowances; gasoline allowances; and reimbursement for travel expenses.
An individual alleging a violation of the EPA is not required to file an EEOC charge. The time limit for filing an EPA charge is within two years of the alleged unlawful compensation practice or within three years for a willful violation.
Title VII, the ADA/ADAAAA, and the ADEA, prohibit pay discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Unlike the EPA, there is no requirement under Title VII, the ADEA, or the ADA/ADAAA that the jobs must be substantially equal.
