News Notes: Assembly Proposes Higher Fines For Gender-Based Pay Discrimination

The California Assembly has approved a bill, A.B. 2317, that would hike the penalties for employers who violate the state’s prohibition against gender bias in pay for employees who perform jobs of equal skill, effort, and responsibility. Under the current law, employees who suffer pay discrimination can sue to recover the wage differential plus an equal amount in liquidated damages, as well as attorney’s fees and interest. The new measure would increase the liquidated damages to three times the wages recovered, or five times if the violation was willful. The measure is now under consideration in the state Senate. We’ll keep you posted.