Unequal Pay for Equal Work
Found out the other 2 employees hired on the same day and for the same position as I did are getting paid more than me. I overheard them comparing heir paychecks during lunch. I'm twice their age and clearly have more work experience. I guess this company thinks anyone over 50 must have less expenses and responsibilities. Is this even legal?
That's both hard on the ego and the pocket Don. Yes, there is a law protecting workers for equal compensation but employers get away with bending it all the time. Take your concern up the chain of command and see if someone helps.
Do you remember is the original job posting for that job show a min/max pay range like $10-15 per hour? If it did then there’s little you can now do compare your salary to theirs. You should have negotiated for the higher pay range.
It's unfortunate but not uncommon to bring in new employees at different starting rates even though they share the same job description. That's why most companies avoid adding pay rates on job postings and if they do they normally phrase it as "starting pay $$". This is a complex subject matter during the hiring process. I think Salary Negotiation Skills should be taught at a high school level.