My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: California
After serving in a management position for 3 years in my organization (after 15 years of service) with a staff of 20, one of my directly reporting managers (to me) took a transfer with promotion. I was unsuccessful in convincing HR to accept a replacement personnel request form since we had a nationwide hiring freeze.
A year after complaining (but still performing) and having to do my job as well as my departed subordinate's job (and manage my other managers), my boss finally said one day he found the perfect candidate for me. He had convinced HR we needed a replacement. This candidate is someone who previously worked at the company but left several years prior and had the potential to perform adequately as a replacement, but was still a bit unknown if it would be a fait acompli.
My boss put together a compensation package whereby this employee who reports to me makes 25% more than me a year! I didn't know this during the hiring process. I was told later it was a salary match to another offer, but not at all what the person was making in their previous job.
I had disclosed 9 months prior that I had an ADA qualifying condition, but it in no way materially impacts my ability to perform. I have seen indirect comments but no overt statements such as 'hey you're like [this] so I don't like you...nothing like that
Since the rehire is not even a peer but a direct reporting employee is this indirect compensation discrimination? I wasn't allowed to participate in his hiring negotations from a decision making standpoint regarding the comp plan and recently found out the exact terms (even though I'm his manager I never got to sign the offer letter). Additionally what is the burden of proof since the employee doesn't even share my same title? There had been some expression of 'risk to the company' from my management if I didn't have a successor at the ready, but I'm quite able to do my job.

