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
Statewide
Bill
S 0270
Effective
1/1/2023
Violations
Seek pay history of applicant; rely on pay history to screen applicants or determine salary offer; require prior wages to satisfy certain criteria; not provide wage range for position upon applicant request; retaliation
Penalties
Compensatory damages, special damages not to exceed $10,000; equitable relief; attorney’s fees and costs; up to $1,000 for first violation, up to $2,500 for second violation, up to $5,000 for subsequent violations
Voluntary Disclosure
Not a violation; may be used to support higher salary than originally offered
Interview Guidelines
(not addressed)