Pay Equity Legislation Knows No Boundaries

Employers with a global footprint face unique challenges when it comes to balancing business objectives with complex – and sometimes conflicting – international and local laws. One area where this is becoming increasingly noticeable is pay equity, with most countries across the globe having some form of equal pay legislation in place.

Even within the same country, however, pay equity requirements can vary significantly. For example, federal and state laws within the United States differ in both form and substance. Some laws (like the federal Equal Pay Act) prohibit gender-based pay discrepancies that are not legally justifiable, while others (like those in California and Illinois) mandate the preparation and disclosure of reports outlining pay data information based on a number of demographics. Still other laws (like those in Washington and New York) require pay transparency, including disclosure of salary and benefit information in job advertisements. In