The average male optometric office manager earns an annual salary of $68,563 while his female counterpart earns $49,779–an $18,784 differential, according to Local Eye Site’s and Jobson Optical Research’s 2011 ECP Compensation Study. Optometric office managers at independent practices earned annual salaries of $50,359, while those working in corporate optometric chains earned $63,675 annually. Optometric office managers in the Northeast reported the highest salary at $61,263, while those in the South earned the least, at $47,042.
Discrimination is wrong. It is wrong morally and legally. Simply stated, don’t do it. Don’t do it intentionally and don’t do it unintentionally.
To make sure you are not unintentionally violating the law, you must know where the lines are drawn in the law. For example, in an at-will employment state, you can fire employees over a personality conflict that interferes with work relationships and probably not trigger an employment discrimination lawsuit, however, if you fire people just because they turn age 60, you’ve violated the law.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces anti-discrimination laws and related regulations. You must know that it is illegal to adversely treat employees on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, genetics, military duty, national origin, race or religion.
Use this checklist to make sure you do not discriminate in:
• Hiring
• Firing
• Compensation
• Bonuses and Benefits
• Promotions
• Disability leave
• Use of practice facilities
• Training
• Layoffs
In today’s world, it is a valuable exercise to have an attorney or a professional human resources group review your employment practices. Any time you are hiring or, more importantly, firing, then you must consult professionals in this area to make sure you are following the rules.
Following the rules in employment discrimination areas creates more work for your practice, however, those costs pale in comparison to trying to defend yourself in an employment discrimination lawsuit.
