My wage is lower then anyone else in my department.?

Question

I work for a large warehouse chain and have found that I'm the one with the lowest wage in my department, yet only one with the real qualifications in my department. Other departments they have hired people that had my qualification and started them off at two dollars a hour more. I've talked to human resources, even the store manager. They say sorry, it had to be negotiated when I was hired. I was told I would have a review in three months, so I thought I would be able to get a better wage then when they saw I was a good worker and a expert in my field. I believe I was descriminated against because of age and sex, but can't prove it, is the reason of the lower wage. Is their anything I can do legally? It's a right to work state.

Answer 1

you need to go out and get another offer and leverage it or leave

its the only real power you have unless you have deep pockets for lawyers (and if you did this all probably wouldn't be a worry anyway, would it)

Answer 2

I have been through this several times...what you want to do when you get a job is ask to see the pay scale, and ask how it is determined. It SHOULD be against the law, unfortunately it is hard to prove. i would ask for a raise on the 3 month mark, and if you don't get what you are looking for, quit. Those are your only options. You know, the first time I was paid what I deserved was after 15 years of work, and I decided to tell my job I made TWICE what I actually made. Just to see if they would bite, and they DID! Don't sell yourself short, remember, they get what they pay for, and if you are of value to them, they will pay you. If they don't pay you, you are not of value to them. Try inflating your salary demands next time and see what it does. Also, my first interview was a conference call. On the second interview, it was in person and I know they couldn't believe how young I was, but I had already shown my strengths, without my age getting in the way. Let me know how it works out for you!

Just an aside...I work in a male dominated industry, and I have had cases where I could have sued for harrassment. i would have won, but I also never would have worked in my field again...You need to outsmart them, not try and bully them into doing the right thing. If you do, you may be cutting off your nose to spite your face. I hate that, but it is reality

Answer 3

Winning a case or getting "justice" for that matter, is all about proof. If you have evidence to the statements you made in your post, then you should consider contacting legal counsel. If and when you do, you should take "proof" from the meeting with HR and the store manager with you.

Also, maybe you could start looking for another job that would pay you what you feel you should be earning.

Good luck too!

Answer 4

Happened to me once. I was hired in, and in three years they realized the starting pay was too low, and the new hires were hired at what I made at that time - what it took me three years to achieve. I was told to live with it or find another job. they said I was doing a great job, but that's just the way it was.

As long as they are paying minimum wage or above, you probably have to live with it, unless you can prove discrimination, which is next to impossible.

Answer 5

this is still a free country at least for while, so my recommendation is for you to use that freedom and find yourself another job. Obviously your management don't give a rats patootie if you stay or not, so why should you? Your wages obviously fall into the wage scale for that position, and most corporations have a cap on salary increases, so the choice is yours.

Answer 6

You can contact a dicrimination attorney. I would do this immediately. That is a bunch of hog wash about being "negotiated". Let the attorney work up the case of discrimination.

Good Luck and Take Care

Answer 7

Maybe you ain't so good at what you do!