Equal Pay Day was commemorated earlier this month. Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day when the average woman’s earnings catch up to the average man’s previous year earnings. It has been estimated that a woman would have to work 68 days into 2014 to earn what her male counterparts earned in 2013; the White House estimates that women currently earn 77 cents for every dollar that men make. While the exact size and causes of the wage gap may be debatable, most people accept that a wage discrepancy exists between men and women.

While there are a number of complex societal factors that cause men to outearn women on average, in some cases women earn less than their male counterparts simply due to illegal discrimination.

Under the Equal Pay Act of 1963, it is illegal for an employer to practice sex-based wage discrimination. Men and women who have substantially similar jobs in the same workplace must be compensated equally.

A Checkers fast food restaurant franchise recently settled a gender pay discrimination claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The company will pay $100,000 to current and former female workers as part of the settlement.

The employer was accused of paying female workers a lower hourly wage than male workers who held the same jobs. In addition to paying lower wages to female employees, the employer reportedly gave women unfavorable job assignments as well as fewer hours than men.

In addition to the monetary relief, the company will increase the wages of its female employees as part of this settlement agreement. It will also provide discrimination training to its employees.

Wage discrimination does not always come to light. This is because workers do not always know what their co-workers are earning, and not all workers understand their employment rights. If your New Jersey employer is paying you a lower wage because of your sex, you may be able to seek justice and compensation.

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Checkers Franchise Will Pay $100,000 to Settle EEOC Pay Discrimination Lawsuit,” April 2, 2014