With the departure of long time host Pat Sajak from Wheel of Fortune, an interesting fact has emerged: Vanna White, the most famous user of the alphabet in the world, has not received a raise in almost 20 years. She makes around $3 million–which seems like a lot of M-O-N-E-Y –but Sajak has been earning almost 5 times as much. Reportedly, Vanna has hired an “aggressive lawyer” for the post Sajak round of contract negotiations. Is the difference on Wheel of Fortune comparable to a Johnny Carson/Ed McMahon situation (for the younger set, Conan O’Brien/Andy Richter)–where the host earned more than the sidekick?
D-U-B-I-O-U-S: Vanna White claims she spends more time on set and does more promotion of Wheel of Fortune than the actual host. Fans of the Wheel would probably not call Vanna White a sidekick. Even though she does not physically turn the letters any longer, her presence and outfits are an important part of the show. Does Vanna have a good claim for a bigger piece of the pie? Can you spell…
P-A-Y-E-Q-U-I-T-Y? Because her lawyer sure can! Vanna White’s fight is a good reminder that failure to comply with Pay Equity laws can cost employers a bundle. How can you know which positions at your organization might be at risk for pay equity violations?
We have a fixed fee, turn key service to identify and resolve pay equity issues before a claim or government audit arises. In some states, a completed Pay Equity Audit can be an affirmative defense to a claim. Contact us. We can help.