Pay discrimination is illegal in a lot of places (should be everywhere), so you should go to your boss, and nicely say that you believe that you deserve a raise; you know for a fact that someone else of similar qualifications is being paid more than you and you believe that that is discrimination.

If they refuse, contact your local ACLU because you may have a case.

Cam down and think for a second. why is he getting a better pay? Ask your boyfriend if he ask for a larger pay when he started the jobs, DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS! if he says that he did ask for a larger pay in the beginning and you didn't then your only have you self to blame if you were scared or didn't know you could haggle for a larger pay. But if that's what the boss said that he should get than maybe you should calmly ask him why. If it was discriminatory than give out a warning to you boss, if he/she doesn't heed your warning suing would probably be your best option, or you can quit. Your choice.

Seal123,
If she felt "scared" for not haggling for a larger pay, she is not to be blamed. A study (which can be found on feministing archives) found that when women negotiate aggressively and assertively, the boss (particularly if hes a male) will overlook or drop her. He may also develop negative views about her. On the other hand, the man who negotiates in an assertive and aggressive style will be better received and judged to be a good candidate. The male does not suffer the same consequences as the female.

Is there a variation by instrument?
Did you two go to the same school? Because that could have an impact?

Does seem pretty fracked up though. But those are possibilities. My suggestion would be to go to the boss, keeping your cool, but still ask what the hell that's about. And make sure to be prepared to argue why there should be no difference (Schooling/experience/instrument demand/etc). And should that not work, then you probably have a pretty solid discrimination suit for ya.

I'd suggest calling a lawyer, then asking them, then demanding a raise to equal pay (or greater, after all, you have been working there longer). If you two are doing the same job, and have the same education, there is no good reason for the pay difference to be that significant. Haggling works for a few dollars, but at $10 they're either taking advantage of you or outright discriminating.

Please keep us updated?

Need more details to speculate, as some have noted teaching different instruments/skills and the school might make a difference. Also if he asked for more money or came from someplace making more money that is also a factor (if you're employing someone or trying to recruit someone you don't automatically pay them more than you think you need to to recruit them).

If everything is the same (school, instruments, availability, etc.) go ask for a raise or a reason you're not getting a raise. Be cool about it, treat it like it was an oversight (benefit of the doubt and all that) and you want to make them aware of this oversight. After all, you want that money not a fight (I'm assuming).

BTW: the "raise" should be equal to the difference between your starting pay and your SO's starting pay. So if he started at ten bux more than you are making now after raises you should get more than a ten buck boost.

If they dick you around, then contact your state's labor board to find out the laws and if you're protected here. You may not be, often people working in the arts, which you may be considered as, get shafted in these kinds of deals.

Contact 9to5. It's an organization that focuses on women and work.

http://www.9to5.org/

gopher said:

If she felt "scared" for not haggling for a larger pay, she is not to be blamed. A study (which can be found on feministing archives) found that when women negotiate aggressively and assertively, the boss (particularly if hes a male) will overlook or drop her. He may also develop negative views about her.

I completely disagree with your statement that failing to negotiate on salary out of fear is not blameworthy. If you don't ask for a certain salary, then you can't expect somebody just to hand it to you.

Your comment sounds suspiciously like you're advising women not to negotiate aggressively or assertively because to do so may earn them a discriminatory refusal of a job.

Sure, you might get discriminated against for negotiating -- but anybody who will discriminate against women on the pretext of that is probably prone to discriminating against women on plenty of other bases, too. I don't think not negotiating suddenly makes a woman safe from discrimination.

And fear of discrimination shouldn't mean that, because the world is so damn biased against women, we should just take whatever 77 cents we're offered and shut up about it -- bitter at our lot, grateful for having a job under those circumstances but afraid to speak up for ourselves.

For the record, I have negotiated salaries numerous times. You don't have to do it "aggressively" if you don't want to; you just diplomatically say, when offered a job and a salary, "actually, I was thinking more like ____" or "I was making ___ at my last job."

To the original poster: If neither you nor your boyfriend negotiated salaries with the boss, if both of you did and the boss relented only with him or if you otherwise can't find any actionable differences on the pretext of which you could get paid less than your boyfriend, contact your regional EEOC office.

"I completely disagree with your statement that failing to negotiate on salary out of fear is not blameworthy. If you don't ask for a certain salary, then you can't expect somebody just to hand it to you."

People cannot be blamed for not asking for more money. I believe in equal pay for equal work. (And also, equal work for equal pay, which would keep the privileged on their toes.) It is why I fail to see why experienced, or even more qualified people should be paid more than new workers, given the same responsibilities, and why I appreciate working for the government, which gives fixed salary increases for length of service only. You're a nurse? You've worked 14 years in the system? Bang - same salary as others with 14 years service regardless of any other factors such as gender, color of skin, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, weight, height, looks, health condition, where you went to school, or who you know. Promotion is allegedly based on merit, but I am not interested in pursuing administrative roles, either, to argue the office politics of that. Neither will I risk my job to question why college educated, licensed nurses who are directly responsible for clients' health and lives, and subject to costly malpractice and liability lawsuits like doctors, make "only" one dollar an hour more than those in housekeeping and laundry. It took me a year to get this job for myself and my family, and I won't put that in jeopardy after depleting my life savings in school and job hunting.

It is also part of some people's culture like mine, not to ask for more or demand better, even if they have the law on their side to do so. Japanese people aren't known for being too demanding (other than as consumers), and avoidance of conflict or confrontation is a virtue. Japanese-Americans have said since before WWII "It can't be helped" - shikata ga nai, even while being loaded into railroad cars for the internment camps in the desert with only what fit into a single suitcase. Good luck changing that attitude. Also, the traditional Japanese attitude "the nail that stands up gets hammered down." That won't change because of the law, common sense, or the urging of rights activists, either.

I believe "desired salary" portions of job applications should be eliminated. Why? Because it is an excuse for stingy or struggling employers to eliminate candidates before their merits can be judged in interview or on the job. You don't really want to know what I want.

"It is why I fail to see why experienced, or even more qualified people should be paid more than new workers, given the same responsibilities"

Simple answer: Efficiency and effectiveness. If I have to be trained for a job, the employer has to pay for me not produce anything for them, and then I have to get adjusted to the system. Where as a more experienced employee would go straight to work, or a more qualified would pick up the job quicker. Thus the employer judges it worth the increase in pay to not waste the time(and money) paying me to learn the job first.

Do you honestly believe that a doctor with 20+ years of experience in their field should make as much as someone fresh out of residency?

My suggestion:

Contact the ACLU
If you sue them and win, and they lose badly enough, they will learn not to do it again.
After it's all over, write to every newspaper and blog about it outing them and this sort of business prwcxtice (within the limits your lawyer suggests).

Good luck

oh and if you get fired, collect unemployment, but, don't quit unless you have a better job in the works.

This is my advice to you.

Tell your boyfriend first (if the doesn't know) about the pay disparity and that you are going to talk to your boss about it. It sucks hardcore that you're "competing" against your boyfriend in this way. If he doesn't like it, go ahead and talk to your boss anyway, but I don't see why he shouldn't be on your side. I'd recommend the boyfriend chat first just to keep things smooth (particularly if your boss might get upset at your boyfriend for divulging pay info).

Then go talk to your boss about it. There may be a legitimate reason why he's being paid more (though, from hearing your background info, not likely). Have in mind what you're going to do if your boss refuses a pay raise - are you going to quit? What would you want your boyfriend to do about his job in that situation (i.e., would you support him continuing to work there if you quit?). I don't mean to tell you what you should think, but it really is a good idea to have this sorted out and agreed upon between the two of you before hand - saves conflict.

everybodyever,
I'm not suggesting that she not correct and investigate the pay disparity. I'm responding to seal123's post in which the poster flippantly stated that she could quit. I disagree with this because that attitude doesnt instigate a fight it. I also disagree with "blaming" someone for not asking for a higher pay. Its an immature attitude that structures the issue around self-blame rather than focusing on the person at fault. Definitly NOT for NOT negotiating your salary, I'm just not blaming her for the problem.