Bill > SB889

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Equal Pay Law to strengthen protections against wage discrimination based on sex. The bill expands key definitions, including broadening the term "employee" to cover more workers and defining "comparable work" as jobs that require substantially similar skill, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions. It modifies wage discrimination provisions by eliminating previous exceptions and establishing a more comprehensive framework for evaluating wage differentials. Employers must now demonstrate that any wage differences are based on legitimate factors like seniority, merit, production quality, or job-related experience, and that these factors are applied reasonably and account for the entire wage difference. The bill also introduces new protections, such as prohibiting employers from asking about wage history, preventing retaliation against employees who discuss wages, and ensuring that time spent on protected leave does not reduce seniority. Additionally, the bill enhances penalties for wage discrimination, allowing employees to recover not just unpaid wages but also compensatory and potentially punitive damages, attorney fees, and other legal remedies. The legislation provides a longer statute of limitations for wage discrimination claims and allows both individual employees and the Attorney General to bring actions to enforce these provisions, with the goal of promoting pay equity and preventing sex-based wage disparities.

Labor and Employment

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=889