What is discrimination in pay, and how does equal pay for equal work address it?

• A. Paying the same wage for substantially similar work regardless of any factors.
• B. Paying different wages for clearly different work but same responsibilities.
• C. Paying different wages for substantially similar work due to protected characteristics; equal pay laws aim to close gaps.
• D. Setting wages solely based on seniority with no regard to performance.

Answer: (C)

Discrimination in pay happens when people who are doing substantially similar work are paid differently because of protected characteristics such as gender, race, or other attributes. Equal pay for equal work addresses this by ensuring that the compensation for a job is based on the work itself—its requirements and responsibilities—rather than on who is performing it or on biased factors. If two employees perform the same job with the same duties and qualifications, they should receive the same pay; any difference that arises solely from a protected characteristic is what equal-pay laws aim to close. Legitimate differences can still exist when there are clear, non-discriminatory reasons to differentiate pay—such as different duties, locations, hours, or verifiable differences in experience, performance, or seniority that apply consistently.