If your company employs people in Massachusetts, you will be subject to new pay equity laws that are in effect as of July 1, 2018. Many businesses are working to ensure they are in compliance with these updated laws. Thankfully, SameWorks can help make that process straightforward!
What does the law require?
The Massachusetts Equal Pay Act states that “No employer shall discriminate in any way on the basis of gender in the payment of wages, or pay any person in its employ a salary or wage rate less than the rates paid to its employees of a different gender for comparable work.” Comparable work is defined as similar in skill and abilities as well as working conditions.
Employers must therefore pay employees in comparable work equally, unless there is a legally permissible reason why an employee can be paid differently.
Per the law:
MEPA permits differences in pay for comparable work only when based upon:
- a system that rewards seniority with the employer (provided, however, that time spent on leave due to a pregnancy-related condition and protected parental, family and medical leave, shall not reduce seniority);
- a merit system;
- a system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production, sales, or revenue;
- the geographic location in which a job is performed;
- education, training or experience to the extent such factors are reasonably related to the particular job in question; or
- travel, if the travel is a regular and necessary condition of the particular job.
You can read more about the law at the mass.gov website.
Note that the above regulations and guidelines are very similar to the US Equal Pay Act of 1963. Companies that comply with Massachusetts law should also ensure that employees in other states are also considered during this process to ensure compliance on a national level.
SameWorks can help you attain compliance
Our certification guidelines mirror the Equal Pay Act, which means that if you attain SameWorks certification, you have taken the steps necessary to remediate and document compensation across your organization. Our software tools can also help your business save money and time during this process.
If you’re interested in scheduling a demo to learn more, please contact us!