Seyfarth Synopsis: Today, April 4th, is Equal Pay Day. In commemoration, Seyfarth's Pay Equity Group is introducing a 50-State Pay Equity Desktop Reference.
Pay equity may be on the minds and lips of your employees today, as today is Equal Pay Day.
Equal Pay Day originated more than 20 years ago as a public awareness event to symbolize how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. While we've previously examined the basis of the statistic that underlies the event, there is no doubt that pay equity has become a high priority for employers, as administrative agencies and a patchwork of states have aggressively moved to address pay equity and enforcement. What used to be a sleepy, little-discussed event has now become major news.
At Seyfarth Shaw, we are marking Equal Pay Day with the release of the first annual 50-State Pay Equity Desktop Reference. This Desktop Reference was aimed at answering the most common questions we are asked about regarding the patchwork of different state laws that touch on pay equity, including:
- Who is protected?
- What type of work must be compared?
- May employers rely on geographic location to explain pay differences?
- What is the statute of limitations?; and
- May employers ask about salary history?
Seyfarth Shaw at Work (SSAW) offers a more comprehensive 50-state survey, which is updated quarterly. For additional information about the comprehensive survey, please email payequity@seyfarth.com. The Desktop Reference also provides more information about undertaking a proactive equity audit and the lifecycle of such an audit.
Seyfarth's Pay Equity Group leads the legal industry in fair pay analysis, thought leadership, and client advocacy. For more than twenty years, we have partnered with our clients to proactively address these developments and minimize risk. Seyfarth also recently testified before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, requesting the EEOC withdraw its proposal to require employers to report data on compensation and diversity through the EEO-1 report. For questions, contact the authors, Christine Hendrickson, Annette Tyman, Hillary Massey, and Monica Rodriquez, or your Seyfarth attorney with whom you regularly work.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
