The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently found that New York City discriminated against women and minorities, paying them substantially less than their white male counterparts. The Commission issued its ruling after more than 1,000 administrative managers, represented by Local 1180 of the Communications Workers of America, filed a complaint against former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. They claimed that the minimum salaries of low-level administrative managers, who were predominantly African-American and Hispanic women, had been frozen for years. Meanwhile, the salaries of higher-level managers, who were predominantly male and White, were significantly raised. The workers argued that the wage discrepancies were indicative of systemic inequality and discrimination within New York City’s administration. The EEOC found that illegal discrimination had occurred, and that the minority female workers’ “rate of pay is much less than their white male counterparts’ in similarly situated jobs and titles.” It recommended that the city pay the victims of this discrimination damages and back pay totaling $246 million. In addition, it called for the city to raise the wages of administrative managers and to take steps to ensure that discrimination does not happen in the future. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration has denied the EEOC’s allegations, stating that the “salaries have been set based on responsibilities and experience.” Nevertheless, the statement places pressure on the administration to enter into settlement negotiations with the workers. Employees should receive equal pay for equal work. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that employers cannot discriminate against employees in any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, compensation, promotions, assignments, and benefits. If you are a member of a protected class and believe that you are receiving less compensation than an individual who has the same duties but is not a member of that class, you may be experiencing unlawful discrimination. You do not necessarily have to possess the same job title as the other individual in order to claim a discriminatory wage violation. As long you can prove that the jobs are equivalent in terms of content, you may be able to successfully file a claim. Call the Akin Law Group to schedule a free consultation. It can be not only frustrating, but also financially debilitating to receive unfair wages because of your employer’s discriminatory practices. Don’t suffer in silence: contact the Akin Law Group at 866.685.5163 to schedule a free consultation with a skilled employment lawyer.