ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

On the Job

Discrimination in the Workplace

Is an employer required to pay workers the same wage when they are performing substantially the same job?

No. The law prohibits differences in wages only when the reason for the difference is the race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability of the worker. An employer is allowed to pay workers different wages based on seniority, merit, piece rate, location, or another nondiscriminatory factor.