Law and the Workplace

Tag Archives: Pay Equity

The New Workplace: Key Issues Facing In-House Counsel Today

On September 17, 2019, Labor & Employment partner and member of the Proskauer Executive Committee Elise Bloom moderated “The New Workplace” panel at the Benchmark Women in Litigation NYC Forum where Proskauer was a sponsor. The forum boasts panels of women lawyers discussing the top legal issues facing in-house counsel. On the panel with Elise … Continue Reading

New Jersey Becomes the Latest Jurisdiction to Enact Ban on Salary History Inquiries

The push to eliminate inquiries into job applicants’ salary history continues, as New Jersey has enacted a statewide law that will restrict employers from obtaining and utilizing applicants’ salary history information during the hiring process. The new law, which will take effect on January 1, 2020, will make it an unlawful employment practice for any … Continue Reading

Toledo, Ohio Passes Ban on Salary History Inquiries

Toledo, Ohio is the latest jurisdiction (and the second city in Ohio) to enact a law that will prohibit employers from asking job applicants about salary history. The ordinance, which is scheduled to take effect on June 25, 2020, will apply to employers with fifteen or more employees in Toledo, and will prohibit such employers and their … Continue Reading

New York State to Expand Protections Against Discriminatory Pay Practices

UPDATE: Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on July 10, 2019.  The law will take effect on October 8, 2019. The New York State legislature has passed a bill that, if signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, will expand pay protections by requiring employers to provide employees with equal pay for “substantially similar” work … Continue Reading

New York State to Enact Ban on Salary History Inquiries

UPDATE: Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on July 10, 2019.  The law will take effect on January 6, 2020. In a continuation of its recent legislative push to expand the reach of anti-discrimination laws, New York State is set to be the latest jurisdiction to prohibit employers from asking job applicants and … Continue Reading

Kansas City, Missouri Passes Ban on Salary History Inquiries

Kansas City, Missouri is the latest jurisdiction (and the second Midwestern city in recent weeks) to enact a law that will prohibit employers from asking job applicants about salary history. The ordinance, which takes effect on October 31, 2019, will apply to employers in Kansas City with six or more employees, and will prohibit such … Continue Reading

Washington State Legislature Passes Ban on Salary History Inquiries

Washington is poised to become the ninth state to pass a law that would prohibit employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. The state legislature recently passed HB 1696, which would, among other things, prohibit employers from inquiring into the prior “wage or salary history” of an applicant for employment. The bill has … Continue Reading

[Podcast]: Massachusetts and New Jersey Pay Equity Laws

In this episode of the Proskauer Brief, senior counsel Harris Mufson is joined by associates Rebecca Sivitz and Maryssa Mataras to discuss the recently enacted Pay Equity Laws in Massachusetts and New Jersey. So be sure to tune in for the latest insight on this very important issue. Listen to the podcast.  … Continue Reading

Hawaii Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law

Hawaii Governor David Ige has signed into law a bill that will restrict employers from inquiring about applicants’ salary history during the hiring process. In addition, the law prohibits employers from retaliating or discriminating against employees for, or restricting employees from, disclosing their own wages or discussing and inquiring about the wages of other employees. … Continue Reading

Connecticut Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has signed into law a bill that will restrict employers from inquiring about applicants’ salary history during the hiring process.  The law will take effect on January 1, 2019. Under the law, employers will be prohibited from inquiring or directing a third party to inquire about a prospective employee’s wage history, … Continue Reading

Vermont Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law

Paying WagesVermont has become the latest jurisdiction to enact a law that will prohibit employers from inquiring about, seeking, or requiring salary history information from prospective employees. The law will take effect on July 1, 2018. Under the law, employers and their agents will be prohibited from: inquiring about or seeking information regarding a prospective employee’s … Continue Reading

New Jersey Governor Signs Sweeping Pay Equity Act Into Law

As anticipated, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed into law the Diane B. Allen Pay Equity Act (the “Act”).  The Act will take effect on July 1, 2018, giving employers approximately two months to review their policies to ensure compliance. As we previously reported, the Act will, among other things, make it an unlawful … Continue Reading

Westchester County, New York Enacts Salary History Inquiry Law

The Westchester County, NY Board of Legislators has unanimously enacted legislation that will prohibit employers and their agents from relying on, requiring, requesting, or seeking information about a prospective employee’s wage history during the hiring process. The Wage History Anti-Discrimination Law (the “Law”) will become effective on July 9, 2018. The Law amends the Westchester … Continue Reading

New Jersey Legislature Passes New Pay Equity Bill

The New Jersey state legislature has passed a new pay equity law which will, among other things, make it an unlawful employment practice to pay employees of any protected class under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (“LAD”) at a lesser rate than other employees who perform “substantially similar work” unless the differential is based … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Attorney General Issues Guidance on Updated Pay Equity Law

The Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General recently issued guidance on the new amendments to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (“MEPA”), effective July 1, 2018. Although the guidance is extremely detailed and should be reviewed in full, employers should take note of the following details: Coverage The MEPA and amendments are substantial in scope, covering … Continue Reading

California Enacts Statewide Law Restricting Inquiries into Applicants’ Salary History

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a statewide salary history inquiry law that will largely restrict employers in the state from seeking and relying upon salary history information from applicants during the hiring process. The law, which will go into effect on January 1, 2018 and will apply to all private and public … Continue Reading

UPDATED: New York City Commission on Human Rights Publishes FAQ Guidance on NYC Salary History Law

NYC Commission on Human RightsOn the heels of its recently issued fact sheets, the NYC Commission on Human Rights (the “Commission”) has published a frequently asked questions page on the New York City salary history inquiry law, which goes into effect on October 31, 2017. The FAQs address a number of details about the law, which restricts the ability … Continue Reading

Fact Sheets for Employers and Applicants Issued on NYC Salary History Inquiry Law

NYC Commission on Human RightsAs the October 31, 2017 effective date for the New York City salary history inquiry law fast approaches, the NYC Commission on Human Rights (the “Commission”) has issued two new fact sheets addressing applicants’ rights, and employer responsibilities, under the new law.  The first fact sheet is addressed to job applicants, while the second fact … Continue Reading

Oregon Expands Pay Equity Protections

Oregon recently enacted the Oregon Equal Pay Act of 2017 (H.B. 2005) (the “Act”). The Act broadly expands Oregon’s existing equal pay protections and imposes new restrictions on Oregon employers’ use of salary histories in recruiting employees and setting compensation. Key Elements of the Act: Currently, Oregon requires only equal pay between “the sexes.” Under … Continue Reading

Mayor Signs Into Law New York City Bill Restricting Employer Inquiries Into Applicants’ Salary History

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed into law a bill that will make it unlawful for employers to inquire into or rely upon job applicants’ wage history during the hiring process, with limited exception.  The law will take effect on October 31, 2017. As we previously reported, the law prohibits employers, employment … Continue Reading

New York City Council Approves Bill Restricting Employer Inquiries Into Applicants’ Salary History

The New York City Council has approved a bill that would make it unlawful for employers to inquire into or rely upon job applicants’ wage history during the hiring process, with limited exception.  The bill now goes before Mayor Bill de Blasio and, if signed, will become effective 180 days following signature. As we previously … Continue Reading

New Orleans Mayor Issues Executive Order Restricting City Departments From Inquiring Into An Applicant’s Salary History

New Orleans Mayor, Mitch Landrieu, has issued an executive order that bans questions about salary history during the application processes for City positions. The executive order is effective January 25, 2017 and is similar to measures in Philadelphia and Massachusetts. The executive order applies to all City departments and prohibits inquiries about a candidate’s salary … Continue Reading

Philadelphia The Latest To Restrict Employer Inquiries Into Applicants’ Salary History

Job ApplicationThe City of Philadelphia has passed an ordinance that will make it unlawful for employers to inquire into an applicant’s wage history during the hiring process.  The law, which amends the city’s current Fair Practices Ordinance, will take effect on May 23, 2017. The ordinance states that—absent a federal, state, or local law specifically authorizing the … Continue Reading

Wage and Hour Implications with President-Elect Trump

Aside from proposing potential carve-outs for small businesses under the new overtime rules that go into effect on December 1, 2016 and supporting six weeks of paid maternity leave, President-elect Trump has not discussed in significant detail how, if at all, he plans to address issues involving workers’ rights.  However, it is possible to predict … Continue Reading
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