CA SB642

Redefines "pay scale" as a good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage range an employer reasonably expects to pay for a position upon hire, clarifying existing requirements for job postings and applicant disclosures

Changes equal pay protections to prohibit wage discrimination based on "another sex" rather than "opposite sex," aligning with California's definition of sex under Government Code Section 12926

Extends the statute of limitations for wage discrimination civil actions to 3 years after the last date the cause of action occurs, eliminating the previous 2-year limit for non-willful violations

Allows employees to recover back pay for up to 6 years for the entire period a wage discrimination violation exists

Specifies that a cause of action occurs when an unlawful compensation decision is adopted, when an employee becomes subject to it, or when affected by its application (including each paycheck)