Facts About CA's Equal Pay Act
Many of us have been taught that we don’t talk about how much we make in the workplace, that it’s unprofessional and can cause issues amongst co-workers. But this ideology has been up for debate as to whether or not it is in-line with promoting a fair and equitable workplace.
Under the Equal Pay Act, “an employer may not justify any pay difference between employees of the opposite sex, or employees of different race or ethnicity based on an employee's prior salary.” This amendment includes men and women who are doing substantially equal work. The pay is based on the content of the work completed, not the job title, and covers everything from basic compensation including salary, overtime pay, bonuses, life insurance, vacation pay, travel expenses, and benefits.
One of the biggest changes to the equal pay act makes it illegal for employers to forbid employees from talking about their pay and benefits. Employees are allowed to discuss and ask about what their coworkers are making to determine that there isn’t any payment discrimination happening in the workplace.
Skill: Measured by factors such as the experience, ability, education, and training required to perform the job. The issue is what skills are required for the job, not what skills the individual employees may have.
Effort: The amount of physical or mental exertion needed to perform a job.
Responsibility: The degree of accountability required to perform the job.
Working Conditions: This encompasses two factors: (1) physical surroundings like temperature, fumes, and ventilation; and (2) hazards.
Establishment: An establishment is a distinct physical place of business rather than an entire business or enterprise consisting of several places of business
To Sum It Up
The Equal Pay Act opens up conversations about compensation and equal pay and is designed to ensure everyone is paid for the work that they do, regardless of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and age.
If you’re having a hard time finding either long term or temporary employees, your next step should be to connect with a professional staffing agency. Not only can a Los Angeles staffing agency help you save time and money, but it can also reduce turnover, improve company morale, and boost productivity and efficiency.
* This article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all aspects of the amended law. It a quick interpretation of one aspect of the law for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as legal advice.
