Legal Definitions - Equal Pay Act

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) is a law that prohibits employers from paying employees of different genders differently for jobs that require "equal skill, effort, and responsibility and which are performed under similar working conditions." This law was created to address the issue of gender-based pay discrimination, which was prevalent in the 1960s.

For example, if a male and a female employee are doing the same job, with the same level of skill, effort, and responsibility, and under similar working conditions, they should be paid the same amount. If the male employee is being paid more than the female employee, the employer may be in violation of the EPA.

The EPA applies to all employers who are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which includes most employers in the United States. However, certain types of jobs, such as those in the executive, administrative, and professional fields, are exempt from the EPA.

If an employee believes that they have been paid unfairly based on their gender, they can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or file a lawsuit against their employer. However, the burden of proof is on the employee to show that they have been discriminated against based on their gender.