Washington Expands Equal Pay Law To Cover All Protected Classes
Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law Substitute House Bill 1905 on March 28, 2024, broadening the scope of Washington's Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA).
Since 1943, the Washington EPOA prohibited sex- and gender-based pay discrimination. The new EPOA amendments expand the EPOA beyond gender, and the law now prohibits pay discrimination based on membership in any protected class. Protected classes under the 2024 EPOA include age, sex, gender, marital status, race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, presence of a disability, and more.
Read the full Update here.
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The regulatory landscape, appetite for administrative agency enforcement, and judicial interpretations related to wage-and-hour issues are rapidly evolving. Our blog is a one-stop resource for federal- and state-level updates and analysis on wage-and-hour-related developments affecting employers.