Pay Equity Laws
What is pay equity?
Pay equity is a means of eliminating gender and ethnic discrimination in the wage-setting system. In this context, the criteria which employers use to determine wages must be gender- and ethnicity-neutral.
What is pay equity legislation?
The overarching purpose of pay equity legislation is to prohibit employers from discriminating on the basis of gender or ethnicity in the payment of wages. To assist candidates and clients alike throughout the hiring process, we’ve compiled relevant information associated with pay equity legislation enacted around the United States. This webpage includes updated information, including:
- Bill names
- Effective start dates
- Violations and penalties
- Exceptions related to voluntary disclosure and interview guidelines
If a state or territory is not included in the dropdown below, there is no pending legislation.
*This is not intended to be legal advice.
Location
District of Columbia
Bill
D.C. Bill 25-194; D.C. Act 25-367
Effective
June 30, 2024 (pending a 30-day congressional review period)
Violations
• Screen applicants based on wage history, including by requiring an applicant’s wage history to satisfy minimum or maximum criteria.
• Request or require an applicant to disclose wage history information as a condition of:
o being interviewed; or
o continuing to be considered for an offer of employment.
• Seek an applicant’s wage history from a prior employer.
Penalties
No private right of action, but Attorney General may seek injunction; compensatory damages; costs and attorneys’ fees; civil penalty of $1,000 for the first violation, $5,000 for the second violation, and $20,000 for each subsequent violation.
Voluntary Disclosure
(not addressed)
Interview Guidelines
(not addressed)