Starting in 2021, employers in Colorado have had to adhere to the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. This law addresses the longstanding history of certain individuals – women and people of color in particular – not receiving the same compensation as their male or non-POC counterparts for performing the same job duties.
This Act aims to provide organizational transparency to all employees within a company. Here are some things to know about the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.
Employers must list promotion opportunities
Under this law, employers must make a reasonable effort to let all employees know of internal promotion opportunities. Furthermore, the employer needs to inform workers about the opportunity on the same day. This avoids the issue of a manager letting some people in the company know about an open position before others, which could be a sign of preferential treatment.
The law protects employees from wage discrimination
One result of the new law is the protection of employees from wage discrimination. All employees must receive the same pay for equal work, regardless of sex, color, or gender identity. There are exceptions, however, including:
- If one party earns more due to merit or seniority
- If one party resides in a different geographic location than the other
- If travel is a requirement of the position
You should look closely into these exceptions if you believe you may have a wage discrimination case.
The more you know about Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, and employment law in general, the better equipped you are to advocate for yourself and other employees.