Equal Pay at Work: Demanding Fair Compensation
You work just as hard, possess the same qualifications, and carry the same responsibilities as your coworkers. Yet, you find out you are earning less simply because of your gender, race, or ethnicity. Wage inequality isn’t just frustrating—it is a direct violation of your civil rights.
But here is what you need to know: Equal pay for equal work is the law, and you have the right to demand it.
At Rastegar Law Group, we believe that hard work deserves fair pay, without bias. We are here to help you uncover wage discrepancies, break through the corporate secrecy, and fight for the compensation you have rightfully earned.
Equal Pay
Are You Being Underpaid?
Check the signs of Wage Discrimination
Employers often keep salaries confidential to hide unfair pay gaps. Use this checklist to evaluate if your employer is violating equal pay laws:
Unequal Pay for Similar Roles
You perform “substantially similar work” as a coworker of a different gender, race, or ethnicity, but they receive higher wages or better bonuses.
Title Discrepancies
You perform the exact same job duties as a male or white coworker, but you are given a lesser title and paid significantly less.
The “Pregnancy Penalty”
Upon returning from family care or medical leave, your pay is altered, your bonuses are withheld, or you are excluded from salary increases.
Secrecy Restrictions
Your employer warns you that discussing salaries with coworkers is “forbidden” or a fireable offense. (Note: Under California law, you have an absolute right to discuss pay).
Biased Evaluation Systems
Your performance metrics or commission structures are manipulated in a way that disproportionately penalizes a protected class.
Important Realization: The law does not require you to prove your employer intended to discriminate. If there is a wage gap for substantially similar work, the burden of proof is on the employer to justify it.
Taking Back Control: How We Help You
Confronting an employer about salary discrepancies can feel uncomfortable and carries a fear of being targeted. We stand by you to protect your rights and demand fairness.
Here is how we stand by you, step-by-step:
1
We Analyze the Pay Gap
We compare your role and compensation to identify unlawful pay disparities.
2
We Obtain Key Records
We gather payroll and employment records to effectively support your claim.
3
We Challenge False Excuses
We gather key evidence to challenge your employer’s claims and build a strong case.
4
We Recover Your Lost Wages
We fight to recover the wages, damages, and compensation you deserve.
Best of all, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means we charge no fee unless and until we successfully recover compensation for you.
The Legal Foundation: What Protects You?
California has the strongest equal pay laws in the country, giving workers unmatched protection:
The California Fair Pay Act of 2015
This historic law prohibits paying employees less than employees of another gender, race, or ethnicity for “substantially similar work.” It eliminates the loophole that compared employees had to work at the “same establishment,” allowing us to compare pay across different locations.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963
The federal law prohibiting wage discrimination on account of sex for jobs requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility.
Wage Discussion Rights
Under California law, your employer cannot prohibit you from disclosing or discussing your wages, nor can they punish you for asking about coworkers’ pay to identify wage gaps.
- You can recover back pay for wage violations going back 2 to 3 years (if the violation was willful) from the date you file your claim.
- Every paycheck that delivers unequal pay constitutes a new violation, resetting the clock. However, acting quickly ensures you do not lose out on older unpaid earnings.
Why Rastegar Law Group
Three Decades. One Focus.
We’ve dedicated our entire practice to representing employees wronged by their employers — no corporate defense work, no divided loyalties.
Since 1991
Admitted to Practice
Over 35 years of exclusive focus on California employment law and worker rights.
108 Years
Combined Experience
Our attorneys bring deep expertise in the tactics employers use to avoid accountability.
Statewide
California Coverage
Offices in Los Angeles and San Diego. We represent workers throughout the entire state.
Let’s Talk About Your Case
Legal deadlines can arrive sooner than expected. Speaking with an attorney early can help preserve important evidence, protect your rights, and give you a clearer understanding of the path forward.