HB0834 Summary

• Changes "equal" to "substantially similar" as the standard for skill, effort, and responsibility in equal pay comparisons for sex and race-based wage discrimination claims.

• Adds requirement that any non-sex/non-race factor used to justify wage differences must be job-related, consistent with business necessity, and not based on or derived from sex or race-based compensation differentials.

• Prohibits employers from requiring employees to sign contracts or waivers restricting discussion of wages, while allowing restrictions on HR personnel and supervisors with legitimate access to wage information.

• Bans employers and employment agencies from screening job applicants based on wage or salary history, requesting such history as a condition of employment, or seeking that information from prior employers, with limited exceptions.

• Establishes damages up to $10,000 plus actual damages, injunctive relief, and attorney's fees for violations of wage discussion and salary history restrictions, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per employee per violation.