MS HB770

Prohibits employers with 5 or more employees from paying workers a lower wage than employees of the opposite sex for equal work requiring equal skill, education, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions

Allows wage differentials based on seniority systems, merit systems, quantity/quality of production, salary history, competition for the employee's services, or the employee's wage negotiation efforts

Permits employees to file civil suits in circuit court within 2 years of discovering a violation, with remedies including back pay, attorney's fees, prejudgment interest, and costs

Prohibits employers from reducing any employee's wages to comply with the act and bans retaliation against employees who invoke or assist in enforcing the law

Requires employees to choose between filing under this state act or the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963, with federal court precedents serving as mandatory authority until Mississippi courts rule otherwise