Equal Pay Law in Florida for Employees

The state of Florida follows the guidelines that are set forth by the US government and offers equal pay to those working at companies with two or more employees. There are various classes of employees who are protected from discrimination by these laws, and employers have to follow them correctly or face penalties, fines, and lawsuits. These protected classes are defined by federal law, but Florida follows the guidelines of these laws just like the other US states.

If you believe that you have not been paid fairly according to equal pay laws, you need to secure the representation of a skilled lawyer. There are many ways that employers can attempt to skirt around equal pay, but even if the reason for your inequitable pay is a simple mistake, your employer is still accountable. Contacting Lopez Law Group can make all the difference in your equal pay case. We have years of experience working on these kinds of cases and can help you get the pay that you are entitled to under federal and state laws.

What is the Florida Equal Pay Law?

The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women who work in the same workplace are entitled to the same amount of pay for the same jobs. Job content determines pay under these laws, not job titles. All kinds of pay that employees receive are covered by these laws, which means that bonus plans, stocks, profit sharing, and things like commissions should also be paid equally. Reimbursement for travel and other benefits like health insurance and holiday pay should also be equal.

This law applies to all Florida-area businesses that employ two or more people. There are some exceptions to pay grades being equal, which the law sets out clearly. If there is a seniority system, a merits system, a system that rewards the quality of work produced, or any reasonable factor that is not based on the sex of the employee, then pay differences can exist. This is one of the areas where many companies attempt to skirt the rules relating to equal pay.

Being able to secure the pay that you deserve can require a careful investigation into the limitations and requirements of all such policies. Employers need to be able to justify the determinations that lead to different pay grades between the sexes based on a carefully defined and measurable pay scale system. If this system does not actually exist or cannot be reliably identified to determine pay, then employees could have grounds to pursue their employer for the pay they should have been given.

Is the Florida Civil Rights Act Related to Equal Pay Laws?

Florida also protects other groups from discrimination under the Civil Rights Act. This act also follows federal guidelines. This act requires that race, color, religion, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, marital status, and sex are not reasons that employees are treated differently from one another. This means that sometimes Florida Civil Rights Act violations can exist alongside equal pay law violations.

When discrimination is a part of the pay determination at a business, it can become even more essential that employees work with a skilled lawyer. These kinds of prejudices cannot enter the workplace, and Florida employers who fail to take action against such abuses are breaking the law. While your case might only be covered by the Equal Pay requirements in the state of Florida, there are many cases where Civil Rights Act violations also exist.

Employers are not allowed to retaliate against reporting employees. This part of the protections that are offered to reporting employees is part of the Whistleblower Act. If you are aware of inequitable pay or discriminatory practices at your place of work, you cannot be retaliated against by your employer after you have reported this problem.

There are protections that are extended to employees under these laws for failure to hire, for discharge that is inequitable, and for discrimination within the terms of hiring contracts when compared to other workers. Limitations, segregation, or denial of things like ongoing education based on protected factors are also not allowed. Additionally, employers are not allowed to print, make notice of, or advertise anything related to employment, membership, referral, or classification of employees that is based on a protected class.

Sexual harassment is not specifically called out in these laws, but there are cases where this is also a factor related to inequitable pay. These cases can be complex, but the team at Lopez Law Group can handle this kind of case as well. If you have been bullied, assaulted, or otherwise abused related to your sex, you do not have to tolerate these actions along with inequitable pay.

Fast-Track Resolution

When equal pay laws have been violated, you can choose to reach out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for satisfaction. This group will use administrative remedies to attempt to hold your employer accountable for the incorrect pay that you are receiving via submitting a charge against the employer. This is often an essential first step for seeking remedies for your pay issues at your place of work.

There is a timeline involved in submitting these complaints, and you need to be sure that the information that you have submitted is clear and complete. While you can undertake this process on your own, it is wise to have a lawyer help you to submit your claim. There are many details that need to be included for a prompt and effective experience with this remedy process.

If you and your employer cannot come to a settlement agreement that you find to be satisfactory, you can request that you wish to move on to file a lawsuit against your employer. The EEOC will need to offer you a notice of Right-To-Sue, which will allow you to move on to filing a lawsuit with the guidance of your attorney. This is often an ideal solution in cases where the amount of back pay that is due to an employee is quite large or when the employer is not offering sufficient resolution to the equal pay problem that the employee is complaining about.

What Can the Lopez Law Group Do For You?

Lopez Law Group has years of experience working on equal pay cases. There is a lot of investigation that needs to be done in these cases to ensure that the right facts are presented to the EEOC or during a lawsuit. Securing the right settlement for our clients is paramount, and we will work hard to support both the pay amount that the employee should be receiving and also to affect changes to the way that businesses treat their employees of both sexes.

Discrimination in the workplace should not be tolerated, and the team at Lopez Law can work on various kinds of cases related to discrimination as well as equal pay. Often, these issues overlap, which means that you will be happy that you chose to work with our team on these kinds of cases. Your employer in the state of Florida should be very clear about the pay expectations that they need to meet when compensating employees. The team at Lopez Law Group will hold them accountable if they are not.

Following the EEOC complaint process can be complicated, and we are happy to start representing your case at this stage of the process. We will help to ensure that all the right information is presented to the EEOC, and we will help our clients to navigate the process of seeking settlement in these kinds of complaint cases.

If you are not satisfied with the settlement that you are offered, we will move on to the lawsuit process. There are many steps and stages to filing and following through on a lawsuit, and we can help our clients with all of these various requirements. You should never tolerate inequitable pay in your place of work, and the team at Lopez Law can ensure that you do not have to do so.

Working With a Skilled Legal Team Matters

If you have realized that you are not being paid in an equitable way and you want to hold your employer accountable, the team at Lopez Law Group can help. We have years of experience working on these cases, as well as Civil Rights Act cases. We can ensure that you are able to get the pay that you deserve and that your employer is held accountable for their actions against you. We work hard to make sure that a correct investigation is done into your case, and we are happy to represent our clients in settlement hearings or in court.

Inequitable pay is illegal in the state of Florida. At Lopez Law Group, we can help clients to correct this violation of the law and protect their employment rights. Reach out to us today and schedule your consultation so that we can get started working on your case right away.

See Also:

• SEVERANCE CONTRACT REVIEW LAW IN FLORIDA FOR EMPLOYEES
• NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT LAW IN FLORIDA FOR EMPLOYEES
• WORKER’S COMP LAW IN FLORIDA FOR EMPLOYEES
• COMMISSIONS AND BONUS LAW IN FLORIDA FOR EMPLOYEES
• NON-COMPETE AGREEMENT REVIEW LAW IN FLORIDA FOR EMPLOYEES