As we mentioned in the introduction, the Equal Pay Act provides employees with a private right to sue their employers for wage discrimination. In the Equal Pay Act litigation, employers can face liability for twice the improperly unpaid wages. Section 216(b) of the law states:
“Any employer who violates the [Equal Pay Act] shall be liable to the employee or employees affected in the amount of their unpaid minimum wages, or their unpaid overtime compensation, as the case may be, and in an additional equal amount as liquidated damages.”
In addition to the Equal Pay Act’s private-right-of-action provisions, the law also provides civil enforcement (with fines of $1,100 per violation) in cases involving repeated or willful violations. The EEOC handles civil enforcement matters and are often triggered by complaints from current and former employees.