Final answer:
Gale Rana's case is potentially one of gender discrimination, where laws such as the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act apply. She must prove a wage disparity exists despite having a similar job and qualifications as her male colleague to succeed in a discrimination lawsuit.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gale Rana, a production worker at Gexo Manufacturing, has discovered that her wage is 20 percent lower than that of her male colleague with similar job title and seniority, which may indicate gender discrimination in the labor market. According to U.S. employment law, for a gender discrimination lawsuit to be successful, the affected employee must prove that the employer is paying them less than an employee of a different gender for a similar job, with comparable educational attainment, and expertise level. This situation falls under the purview of laws such as the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which seek to eliminate wage disparities based on gender or race and enforce equal pay for equal work principles.
Furthermore, racial discrimination laws also apply when there is a pay disparity between racially diverse employees and their coworkers of the majority race, given similar job qualifications and expertise. Studies have shown that such anti-discrimination laws have helped in reducing the gender wage gap, although complete parity hasn't been achieved yet. Overall, evidence of similar job responsibilities and qualifications alongside the wage discrepancy is crucial in proving discrimination in the workplace.