HB18-1378: Equal Pay For Equal Work Act

• Prohibits employers from paying employees different wages based on sex or sex combined with another protected status for substantially similar work, evaluated as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility.

• Allows wage differentials only if employer demonstrates the difference is based on seniority systems, merit systems, production-based systems, or bona fide job-related factors (such as education, training, or experience) consistent with business necessity.

• Permits aggrieved employees to bring civil actions in district court within 2 years (or 3 years for willful violations) to recover economic damages, liquidated damages equal to lost wages, lost wages, attorney fees, and costs.

• Requires employers to announce all promotion opportunities simultaneously to existing employees and disclose hourly pay rates or salary ranges in all job listings; mandates record-keeping of job descriptions and wage histories for current employment plus 3 years after separation.

• Authorizes the division director to enforce pay transparency requirements and impose fines of $500 to $10,000 per violation; appropriates $85,034 for implementation.