An employer justifies paying one gender less than another by claiming that one gender has families to support.
Premiumintermediate8 minutes
The Situation
What They Said
“We pay one gender less here — the other gender has families to support.”
Said by an employer or manager when an employee questions why they earn less than a colleague of a different gender doing the same work.
The Fallacy
Appeal to Tradition / False Generalization
This argument assumes that one gender is always the primary breadwinner and the other is not, which is a sweeping generalization that ignores individual circumstances. It also treats a social tradition as if it were a moral justification for differential treatment. The premise does not constitute a valid reason for unequal compensation.
What the Law Says
Your Legal Foundation
Ley de Contrato de Trabajo 20.744
art. 17 de la Ley de Contrato de Trabajo — Equal pay principle
“The employer may require the employee to initiate the relevant procedures, providing him with certificates of services and other necessary documentation for that purpose.”
This law does not address gender pay discrimination. It concerns retirement procedures. Therefore, it does not justify paying women less.
What Scripture Says
God's Word on This
Galatians 3:28 (NET)
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
This verse affirms that distinctions of gender do not create a hierarchy of value or entitlement, directly opposing the idea that one gender deserves more compensation simply because of their sex.
Leviticus 19:13 (NET)
“You must not oppress your neighbor or commit robbery against him. You must not withhold the wages of the hired worker overnight until morning.”
Withholding fair wages from any worker — including through discriminatory pay structures — is condemned as a form of oppression and robbery.
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You Know the Law — But Do You Know What to Say?
Reading your rights is one thing. Using them under pressure — calmly, correctly, in the right words — is what actually protects you. Members get the scripted rebuttal for this exact situation: what to say first, what to say if they push back, the tone to use, and the constitutional provision to cite. Practise out loud with audio until it's automatic.