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.

 

Massachusetts

Location

Statewide

Bill

2017 Chapter 177

Effective

7/1/2018

Violations

Seek a candidate’s salary history; condition an interview or consideration of an offer on the disclosure of salary history

Penalties

Salary inquiries and unfair pay – unpaid wages and interest, plus an equal amount of those wages and interest as liquidated damages; attorney fees.

Voluntary Disclosure

This is not presently addressed.

Interview Guidelines

(not addressed)