equal pay for equal work

[emp123]

My company claims to adhere to the principal of "equal pay for equal work".

I have demonstrated to my company that I have exceeded the performance of others I know make more.

I have asked for a clarification of the discrepancy The company will not give me a straight answer. They say I am not being reasonable Or suggest that I am not in a position to know what others are doing.

They do not contradict any of the facts I have presented but they say I am wrong.

If my facts or understanding of the company rules are incorrect then why do then not clarify?

From my point of view this seems like employment fraud. The company makes claims of fairness but they do not follow though.

Any suggestions?

The company is a large multi-national based in California

Thank you.

 

[jacksgal]

Do you have a cba or employment contract that would bind employer to this? If not there isnt much you can do

 

[cbg]

You are playing a very dangerous game.

First of all, legally "equal pay for equal work" means that difference in pay cannot be based in gender (later expanded to include other characteristics protected by law). In other words, they can't pay a man more because he is a man, or a woman more because she is a woman.

It does NOT mean that all employees have to be paid equally, or based on their own estimates of their work.

Someone walks into my office and tells me that they deserve more money because they do a better job than John and John makes more than they do, and my first instinct is to tell them fine, they are free to find other employment that will pay them what they think they're worth, and don't let the door hit you on the way out. What's more, I've seen employers do that. It is NEVER a smart thing to compare yourself to someone else when it comes to compensation. So no matter how just your cause might or might not be, you are going about it in completely the wrong way.

 

[emp123]

Do you have a cba or employment contract that would bind employer to this? If not there isnt much you can do

I'm not sure what a cba is and I do not know if the employment papers I signed covered this (not likely).

However, the company regularly publishes "company principles" documents that describe expected behavior of employees and benefits of the company.

One of those principles is "equal pay for equal work".

If the company publishes these principals should they not follow them?

Thank you for your thoughts on my question.

 

[jacksgal]

Principles are not contracts

 

[emp123]

You are playing a very dangerous game.

First of all, legally "equal pay for equal work" means that difference in pay cannot be based in gender (later expanded to include other characteristics protected by law). In other words, they can't pay a man more because he is a man, or a woman more because she is a woman.

It does NOT mean that all employees have to be paid equally, or based on their own estimates of their work.

Someone walks into my office and tells me that they deserve more money because they do a better job than John and John makes more than they do, and my first instinct is to tell them fine, they are free to find other employment that will pay them what they think they're worth, and don't let the door hit you on the way out. What's more, I've seen employers do that. It is NEVER a smart thing to compare yourself to someone else when it comes to compensation. So no matter how just your cause might or might not be, you are going about it in completely the wrong way.

Thank you for your thoughts

Let me add some more detail.

I recently transitioned off a job. This job was taken over by another by another employee. I later found out the employee is of a higher rank (more $) than I. I also was reminded (by company newsletter) that my company claims to follow the principle of "equal pay for equal work".

Does this new information change anything?

 

[jacksgal]

No it does not. Unless there is a contract they are not legally bound to follow their own policies

 

[cbg]

No, it doesn't change anything. The company is not obligated to pay you what you think you're worth. A general statement of a principle they operate under is not a binding contract to pay all employees in the same job the same.

BTW, a CBA is a Collective Bargaining Agreement. If you are not a member of a union, you do not have a CBA.

 

[emp123]

No it does not. Unless there is a contract they are not legally bound to follow their own policies

I suppose I should not be suprised to hear this.

Thank you for your assitance.

 

[emp123]

No, it doesn't change anything. The company is not obligated to pay you what you think you're worth. A general statement of a principle they operate under is not a binding contract to pay all employees in the same job the same.

BTW, a CBA is a Collective Bargaining Agreement. If you are not a member of a union, you do not have a CBA.

Thank you for the explanations.