On March 27, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act. Now, the WAGE Equity Act has been introduced as an alternative bill. Whatever happens with either of these pieces of legislation, remember that equal pay for equal work is already mandated by law (via Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964). However, as equity increasingly is in the headlines, consider conducting a pay equity review with your legal counsel to ensure that your current pay practices comply with federal and state equal pay laws. If you identify pay differentials, unfair pay practices, or discriminatory pay gaps, correct them immediately. Realize that this may call for across-the-board pay increases, so you need to be prepared for this. Elsewhere, review and update employment applications and train recruiters, your HR team, and supervisors about how to (and not to) address pay issues in job/hiring interviews. Read the full article.
