Today is Equal Pay Day, marking the fact that women are often paid less than men for the same job. Take this case in 2013: Aileen Rizo was working at the Fresno County Office of Education. She found out a male colleague with less education and experience was making more than she was. The reason? Her pay was based on her previous salary. Rizo ultimately filed suit under the Equal Pay Act and California’s sex discrimination statutes. That case is still making its way through the courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.
Listen to the interview above to hear Rizo talk about why she decided to sue FCOE, and how some California laws have since changed to allow employees to talk openly about their salaries without fear of retaliation.