MS HB1157

Creates the "Evelyn Gandy Fair Pay Act" to prohibit employers from paying employees less based on sex for equal work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions.

Establishes exceptions allowing wage differentials based on seniority systems (excluding pregnancy-related and family leave), merit systems, production quality/quantity, or other bona fide job-related factors not derived from sex-based differences.

Requires employers to complete self-evaluations within two years to establish rebuttable presumption of compliance, including job analysis, evaluation plans measuring skill/effort/responsibility, and remediation of identified pay differentials without reducing any employee's wages.

Prohibits employers from restricting employees' discussion of wages, requiring wage secrecy agreements, or retaliating against employees who inquire about, disclose, or discuss wages or participate in related legal proceedings.

Allows employees to file civil actions within two years of discrimination, with remedies including unpaid wages, liquidated damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages for malice or reckless indifference, and attorney's fees.