© 2025 Seyfarth Shaw LLP Developments in Equal Pay Litigation 2025 | v TABLE OF CONTENTS EQUAL PAY LEGISLATION ..................................................................................................................7 A. The Federal Equal Pay Act And Title VII ...............................................................................7 B. State Equal Pay Legislation ................................................................................................... 7 C. Pay Transparency And Other State And Local Initiatives......................................................8 RECENT CASE LAW DEVELOPMENTS............................................................................................12 A. Proving The Prima Facie Case ............................................................................................12 1. Establishing A Wage Disparity....................................................................................13 2. Showing That Work Is “Equal” Or “Substantially Similar”...........................................24 B. Significant Class And Collective Action Decisions...............................................................37 1. Recent Cases Involving Collective Action Certification ..............................................37 2. Recent Cases Involving Class Action Certification.....................................................44 C. Disproving Discrimination: Employers’ Affirmative Defenses ..............................................49 1. Proving A Factor Other Than Sex...............................................................................49 2. Additional State Law Requirements To Establish The Factor Other Than Sex Defense ....................................................................................................................... 55 3. Challenging The Factor Other Than Sex: Salary History And Beyond ......................59 4. Other Affirmative Defenses.........................................................................................65 5. Pretext ......................................................................................................................... 69 D. Other Important Substantive Decisions Impacting Equal Pay Litigation .............................71 1. Retaliation Claims ....................................................................................................... 71 2. Proving An “Establishment” ........................................................................................76 3. Identifying The “Employer” Under The EPA ...............................................................78 4. Statute Of Limitations And Willfulness Issues ............................................................81 5. Maintaining Privilege Of Internal Investigations and Proactive Pay Studies..............82 DEVELOPMENTS IN EEOC ENFORCEMENT OF EQUAL PAY ACT CLAIMS................................87 A. Recent Examples Of EEOC Enforcement Activity...............................................................87 B. EEOC Litigation Of Title VII Equal Pay Claims ....................................................................90
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