Former television news anchor Sandra Maas took the stand on Tuesday in a lawsuit against KUSI-TV, claiming the station violated the Equal Pay Act by paying her male counterparts more than her.

Maas testified about her background and career leading up to KUSI-TV, stating that she had been on-air in San Diego for 14 years when KUSI News Director Steve Cohen approached her in 2004 and offered her a morning show anchor position. Maas said she was initially thrilled about the opportunity and started with a salary of $100,000, with two raises of $10,000 each.

However, Maas said that things started to get frustrating in 2010 when she had not received a raise in a while, and Cohen portrayed himself as the buffer between her and "the boys down the hall." Maas testified that there was always an excuse for why she couldn't get a raise.

Maas also testified that in 2007, she had a conversation with Mike McKinnon, Jr., the General Manager of KUSI, who told her he hated negotiating with agents and suggested she negotiate her contract directly with Cohen.

During her testimony, Maas shared personal details about her life, including that she is married to her high school sweetheart, has two children, and her husband is the CFO of a bank in San Diego.

Maas's lawsuit is part of a larger movement to address the gender pay gap in the United States. According to the National Women's Law Center, women in the United States make just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men.

The trial is ongoing, and the outcome could have implications for other women in the media industry who have experienced pay discrimination.