Attorney General Issues Guidance On Massachusetts Equal Pay Act

The July 1, 2018 implementation date for the amendments to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA) is less than four months away. The amendments approved in 2016 will bring about substantial changes to the definition of "comparable work," employer defenses, and prohibited employer practices, such as salary history inquiries. In the face of much anticipation, the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General recently released an Overview and Frequently Asked Questions (the "Guidance") concerning the extensive changes to MEPA.

The Guidance helps to answer some of the many questions raised by the amendments to MEPA. The Guidance is particularly significant, as the Supreme Judicial Court previously has held that other Attorney General interpretations of laws that the Attorney General is charged with enforcing are entitled to substantial deference.