Are employers allowed to have different wages for the same job?
In California, employers are generally not allowed to have different wages for the same job. This is due to the state’s employment discrimination laws, which prohibit employers from discriminating against workers because of their gender, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, and other protected categories. Wage discrimination occurs when two workers at the same company, with similar qualifications and job responsibilities, are paid different wages just because they are different genders, races, ages, or have different disabilities. This is illegal under California law in addition to being prohibited under federal law. In addition, employers may not base wages on any characteristic other than qualifications and job performance. Employers can offer different starting wages when employees have different levels of experience and educational qualifications. However, these wages should eventually even out to reflect the same value for any given job. This means that an employer should not allow a wage gap between two employees doing the same job that is based on any of the above-mentioned characteristics. In conclusion, California employers must ensure that they provide equal wages for equal work for all employees, regardless of their gender, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. Doing so is not only the right thing to do, it is also the law.
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