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Learn more details about the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act

An updated Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA) went into effect on July 1, 2018.

In 1945, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to pass an equal pay law, but the gender pay gap persists here and across the country. In Massachusetts, on average, women working full-time earn only 84.3% of what men earn. The gap is even larger for some women of color.  

On July 1, 2018, an updated equal pay law went into effect in Massachusetts. This new law provides clarity on what is unlawful wage discrimination and adds new protections to ensure make workplaces more fair and equal. The new law, An Act to Establish Pay Equity, updates the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA).

Equal Pay for Comparable Work

The Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (MEPA) says that employers cannot discriminate against employees because of their gender when deciding and paying wages. Employers cannot pay workers a salary or wage less than what they pay employees of a different gender for comparable work. The law defines “comparable work” as work that requires substantially similar skill, effort, and responsibility, and is performed under similar working conditions.

MEPA permits differences in pay for comparable work only when based on:

  1. a system that rewards seniority with the employer (time spent on leave due to a pregnancy-related condition and protected parental, family, and medical leave cannot affect seniority);
  2. a merit system;
  4. where a job is performed;
  5. education, training, or experience that are reasonably related to the job; or
  6. travel, if the travel is a regular and necessary condition of the job.

Importantly, MEPA makes clear that employees’ salary histories are not relevant or a defense to an employer's liability. Employers do not need to intend to discriminate based on gender in order to be liable under the law. 

Affirmative Defense

An employer who violates MEPA is generally liable for twice the amount of the unpaid wages owed to the affected employee—the difference between the employee’s wages and the wages paid to an employee of a different gender performing comparable work—plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. However, the law provides a complete defense for any employer that, within the previous three years and before an action is filed against it, has conducted a good faith, reasonable self-evaluation of its pay practices. To be eligible for this affirmative defense, the self-evaluation must be reasonable in detail and scope and the employer must also show reasonable progress towards eliminating any impermissible gender-based wage differences that its self-evaluation may reveal. 

Employers are not required to conduct self-evaluations and will not be penalized for choosing not to do so.

Other Key Provisions

MEPA also adds several key protections for employees and job applicants:

  • Employers may not prohibit employees from disclosing or discussing their wages
  • Employers may not seek the salary or wage history of any prospective employee before making an offer that includes compensation, and may not require that a prospective employee’s wage or salary history meet certain criteria
  • Employers may not retaliate against any employee who exercises his or her rights under the law

Employees whose rights under MEPA have been violated have three years from the date of an alleged violation to bring an action in court. A violation happens when a discriminatory compensation decision is made or other practice is adopted, and each time an employee is subject to or affected by the discriminatory practice, including each time wages are paid.