{"id":357692,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:23","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/employment-discrimination\/equal-pay-and-discrimination-against-women.html"},"modified":"2025-05-01T10:17:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T15:17:52","slug":"equal-pay-and-discrimination-against-women","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/employment-discrimination\/equal-pay-and-discrimination-against-women.html","title":{"rendered":"What Does the Equal Pay Act Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Does the Equal Pay Act Do?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Balrina Ahluwalia, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a federal law designed to eliminate wage discrimination based on sex. It ensures equal pay for substantially equal work. Established under President John F. Kennedy, it extends the Fair Labor Standards Act to cover all forms of compensation, including benefits and bonuses. This law applies to most U.S. employers and is enforced by both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Though the gender wage gap has decreased over the past several decades, it hasn\u2019t yet closed. As of 2024, women in the United States were still earning an average of 18% less than men<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

One of many factors contributing to the persistent pay inequality is sex discrimination<\/a>. In this article, we\u2019ll explore the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), a law that attempts to address this problem by ensuring equal pay for equal work.<\/p>\r\n

The EPA seldom provides the only legal protection for someone experiencing wage discrimination on the basis of sex. If you suspect your employer may not be paying you fairly because of your sex, consider speaking with a qualified employment attorney<\/a> who can help you understand your options.<\/p>\r\n

But first, let\u2019s review some important information about the EPA.<\/p>\r\n

What is the Equal Pay Act?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

The EPA is a federal law that aims to eliminate compensation discrimination based on sex. President John F. Kennedy signed it into law as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938<\/a> (FLSA), which regulates overtime, the minimum wage, and child labor.<\/p>\r\n

The EPA prohibits employers from paying employees of one sex less than employees of the opposite sex for similar work, except under specific circumstances. \u201cPay\u201d in this context includes all types of compensation, including non-wage components like benefits<\/a>, stock options, and bonuses.<\/p>\r\n

Similar Work<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

The EPA defines "similar work" using several criteria including:<\/p>\r\n