The pay gap has been a persistent issue for as long as women have been able to enter competitive industries as employees. Companies often discriminate when deciding who to hire, what advancement opportunities to offer and what to pay their workers.
There are multiple federal laws that require wage equality and prohibit discrimination when making employment decisions. There are also Maryland state statutes that apply in wage discrimination scenarios. These laws do not automatically end sex-based pay discrimination. A report based on state data from 2024 found that women make $0.86 for every dollar men in similar roles earn.
Female professionals who learn that their male coworkers in similar positions earn more than they do may potentially have a right to take legal action to address the wage discrimination they have experienced.
What Maryland laws protect workers?
Maryland’s Equal Pay Act, also called the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, prohibits employer discrimination based on sex when determining the compensation that workers receive. Historically, women have received lower wages than male professionals in similar roles with relatively similar credentials. However, the law is sex-neutral, which means neither men nor women should receive preferential wage consideration from Maryland employers.
The law also imposes transparency requirements on employers that mandate the disclosure of salaries and wages for all employees. It also prevents employers from demanding a pay history from professionals before hiring them. Finally, the Equal Pay Act prohibits employers from offering one sex less favorable employment opportunities than the other.
How to address sex-based wage discrimination
Under transparency rules, workers can discuss their wages with one another, which may lead to women learning that their male coworkers earn more than they do. In that situation, they may be able to take legal action against their employers seeking compensation for the discrepancy in pay and any lost opportunities related to discrimination.
In 2024, four female employees brought a successful claim against a Maryland psychiatric center because a male subordinate earned more than they did. Female professionals hoping to follow suit and hold their employers accountable may need detailed information about what other professionals at the company earn for similar work.
They may need to attempt to resolve the issue with their employer through direct negotiations before taking legal action. Reviewing company practices and wage history with an employment law attorney can help workers who have experienced sex-based wage discrimination fight back. The successful wage claim can compensate specific professionals and force a company to change its practices.
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