Wage Equity Act of 2021 This bill addresses workplace wage discrimination based on sex. Specifically, it limits the acceptable reasons for wage disparities based on sex to legitimate business-related factors unrelated to sex. It also protects from liability for such discrimination those employers who conduct a job and wage analysis audit to identify wage disparities and take reasonable steps to remedy any such disparities. Further, the bill prohibits employers from relying on, or requesting, the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless it is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee. Employers generally may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, or discussing, wage information concerning another employee or from requesting information from an employer about wage differentials. Finally, the bill permits the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills education for women and girls. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of sex-based wage disparities.
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Labor and Employment
Accounting and auditingCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightEducation programs fundingElementary and secondary educationEmployee hiringEmployment and training programsEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment studies and investigationsHigher educationLabor-management relationsLabor standardsPersonnel recordsSex, gender, sexual orientation discriminationVocational and technical educationWages and earningsWomen's educationWomen's employment
Wage Equity Act of 2021
USA117th CongressHR-2491| House
| Updated: 4/13/2021
Wage Equity Act of 2021 This bill addresses workplace wage discrimination based on sex. Specifically, it limits the acceptable reasons for wage disparities based on sex to legitimate business-related factors unrelated to sex. It also protects from liability for such discrimination those employers who conduct a job and wage analysis audit to identify wage disparities and take reasonable steps to remedy any such disparities. Further, the bill prohibits employers from relying on, or requesting, the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless it is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee. Employers generally may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, or discussing, wage information concerning another employee or from requesting information from an employer about wage differentials. Finally, the bill permits the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills education for women and girls. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of sex-based wage disparities.
Accounting and auditingCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightEducation programs fundingElementary and secondary educationEmployee hiringEmployment and training programsEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment studies and investigationsHigher educationLabor-management relationsLabor standardsPersonnel recordsSex, gender, sexual orientation discriminationVocational and technical educationWages and earningsWomen's educationWomen's employment