Gender-based wage discrimination remains a serious problem in Atlantic City, NJ, despite protections under New Jersey law and federal statutes like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Women continue to earn less than men for doing comparable work, and these disparities persist across industries and age groups.
According to Pew Research Center data from 2015, women earned just 83 cents for every dollar earned by men for similar hours worked. While this represents an improvement from the 67 cents on the dollar seen in 1980, it still reflects a persistent pay gap. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals an even broader disparity—showing that full-time, year-round female workers earn just 80% of what men make.
The pay gap narrows slightly among younger professionals. Women aged 25 to 34 earn around 90% of what their male counterparts make, but this still results in thousands of dollars in annual lost income. Even in industries where women make up the majority of the workforce—such as childcare—they earn about 95% of what men are paid for identical positions. Over the course of a year, women effectively need to work an extra 44 days to match the annual earnings of men.
Barriers to Advancement
Pay disparities in Atlantic City are not limited to base wages. Promotion inequality further reinforces the earnings gap. For example, research published by UrbanMinistry.org found that female school principals typically have three more years of teaching experience than male principals at the time of their promotion. These delays not only reduce lifetime earnings but also hinder career growth and leadership opportunities.
The wage gap is also closely tied to family responsibilities. Pew Research shows that approximately one in four women scale back work hours or take extended time off to care for children or aging family members. Inflexible work environments and a lack of support for caregiving duties limit upward mobility and directly impact long-term compensation.
Legal action may be warranted when unequal pay or slowed advancement is rooted in gender discrimination. Employers are prohibited from using sex as a basis for compensation or career opportunities. If you believe your employer in Atlantic City has violated your rights under New Jersey or federal law, legal guidance can help you evaluate your options and seek appropriate remedies.
Legal Help for Pay Discrimination
Employees in Atlantic City, NJ, who experience wage disparities based on gender have the right to take legal action. NJ Employment Lawyers, LLC helps workers across New Jersey assert their rights to equal pay and challenge unlawful compensation practices. If you’ve been underpaid or denied advancement because of your gender, legal remedies may include back pay, adjustments to wages, and additional compensation for harm suffered.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 protects workers from sex-based wage discrimination. This federal law requires that employees performing substantially equal work receive equal compensation—regardless of job titles. The focus is on job content: skill level, effort, responsibility, and working conditions. Differences in titles or departments do not exempt employers from compliance.
A key feature of the Equal Pay Act (EPA) is that workers can file lawsuits directly in state or federal court. There’s no requirement to first file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which can significantly speed up the process of pursuing relief.
Employers are not allowed to “fix” a pay gap by reducing the wages of higher-paid employees. Instead, the law requires that lower-paid workers be brought up to a fair and lawful wage level.
Permitted Exceptions and Burden of Proof
Some pay differences are legally acceptable, but only if they are based on non-discriminatory factors such as:
- A seniority system
- A merit-based performance evaluation process
- Quantity or quality of production (e.g., piece-rate systems)
- Other legitimate, gender-neutral reasons
To succeed in an Equal Pay Act claim, the employee must show that they were paid less than an employee of the opposite sex for work that is substantially equal in function, complexity, and expectations.
If you believe your employer in Atlantic City has violated equal pay laws, it’s important to act quickly. Deadlines apply, and early legal intervention can improve your chances of securing both compensation and workplace changes.
Historical Context of Unequal Pay
For decades, employers justified wage disparities with outdated assumptions: that women were secondary earners, more likely to leave the workforce for family obligations, or legally restricted in how many hours they could work. These ideas, rooted in mid-20th century gender roles, reinforced the notion of men as primary breadwinners and contributed to institutional pay discrimination that persisted well beyond the 1950s.
Prior to 1972, gaps in the Fair Labor Standards Act left many professional workers without protection under the Equal Pay Act. That changed with the passage of the Educational Amendments of 1972, which expanded coverage to a wider range of employees. In 1979, enforcement authority for the EPA shifted to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), ensuring more consistent regulation across industries.
Legal Protection Against Wage Discrimination in Atlantic City
Workers in Atlantic City who are paid less than colleagues of the opposite sex for substantially similar work may have grounds for a legal claim. NJ Employment Lawyers, LLC represents employees throughout New Jersey in gender-based pay discrimination cases, using both federal and state law to hold employers accountable.
New Jersey’s Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act, effective July 1, 2018, strengthens worker protections by expanding the state’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The law prohibits unequal pay for employees in any protected class—such as gender, race, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, marital status, or military status—when performing substantially similar work.
Employers must justify any wage differences based on legitimate, non-discriminatory factors. Acceptable reasons may include:
- Seniority systems
- Merit-based compensation structures
- Productivity metrics
Disparities cannot be explained by bias, stereotypes, or practices that disproportionately harm members of protected classes.
If you suspect your pay has been influenced by gender or other protected characteristics, NJ Employment Lawyers, LLC can help you evaluate your legal options.
Key Provisions of the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act
- Expanded Protection: Covers all protected classes under New Jersey law—not just gender. This includes race, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, and others.
- Job Content Over Title: The law evaluates whether two jobs are “substantially similar” in terms of skill, effort, and responsibility. Titles alone are not enough to justify pay differences.
- Six-Year Back Pay Window: Employees can recover up to six years of back pay for wage discrimination, significantly longer than under many federal laws.
- Ongoing Violations: Each discriminatory paycheck counts as a new violation. This resets the clock and extends the time employees have to file a claim.
- Treble Damages: If an employer is found liable, the court may award up to three times the amount of lost wages. This includes retaliation cases where employees were penalized for discussing or reporting wage discrepancies.
- Pay Transparency Requirements: Employers cannot ban discussions about compensation or retaliate against employees who share or inquire about pay information.
Legal Support for Wage Discrimination in Atlantic City
If you work in Atlantic City and believe your pay is lower than others performing substantially similar work, you may have a valid claim under the Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act. These cases often require detailed analysis of job duties, compensation systems, and internal company practices.
NJ Employment Lawyers, LLC assists employees across New Jersey with pay discrimination claims. The firm works to secure back pay, additional damages, and corrective action against employers who violate wage equity laws.
To understand your rights and explore your legal options, visit NJ Employment Lawyers, LLC.