Summary
On July 1, 2018, significant amendments to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA) will take effect. MEPA currently prohibits employers from paying different amounts to employees of different genders who perform “comparable work,” but the standard under current law for what work is comparable is narrow. The upcoming amendments to MEPA broaden the scope of comparable work, significantly limit the available justifications for pay differentials, bar certain inquiries in hiring and prohibit employers from limiting most communications among employees about compensation. While these changes lead to risks for employers, the amended MEPA provides a significant opportunity for employers to control the risks arising from compensation differentials by conducting a self-evaluation before a lawsuit is filed.
Goodwin’s Labor + Employment Practice presented a webinar on the amended MEPA. In this webinar, we addressed:
- What is comparable work
- What are wages under MEPA
- What factors can justify pay differentials among those performing comparable work
- Important legal issues and business considerations associated with conducting a self-evaluation
- What changes in interview practices and confidentiality policies employers should make to comply with the amended MEPA
Should you wish to review the materials or access the webinar recording, please click below: