BACK PAY AWARD
A legally enforceable decree ordering an employer
to pay to an employee retroactively a designated
increase in his or her salary that occurred during a
particular period of employment. A decision ren-
dered by a judicial or QUASI-JUDICIAL body that
an employee has a legal right to collect accrued
salary that has not been paid out to him or her.
Back pay awards ensue from litigation
involving employment discrimination and
issues regarding labor-management relations.
Federal CIVIL RIGHTS legislation provides for
back pay awards to compensate the victim for
economic losses suffered as a result of discrimination.
