50 State Equal Pay Reference Guide - 2023 Q3 Edition

WWW.SEYFARTH.COM | 2 Expanding Influence of Equal Pay Requirements Since 1963, the Equal Pay Act has prohibited pay discrimination on the basis of sex. Since that time, there has been a wave of shareholder initiatives and modifications to state equal pay laws. The ripple effect has been far reaching. In 2023 and beyond, we see more litigation and enhanced pay reporting laws. FEDERAL LAW 1963 The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was signed into law, followed by Title VII in 1964. The EPA prohibits pay discrimination on the basis of sex. SHAREHOLDER INITIATIVES 2015 Amidst a wave of activism, including from high profile figures and celebrities, 2015 saw the emergence of shareholder initiatives asking companies to disclose pay differences between men and women. STATE LAWS 2016 Laws at the state level boomed in 2016. California, New York, and Massachusetts led the charge, and became the first states to adopt more onerous laws. Other states followed suit and many also enacted salary history bans and pay scale disclosure laws. LITIGATION 20182022 In the last few years hundreds of pay discrimination cases were filed. This number is projected to go up. FOCUS ON PAY TRANSPARENCY 2023 and Beyond The legal landscape continues to rapidly change, as more countries around the globe enact equal pay reporting laws.

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTkwMTQ4