Several jurisdictions are in the process of passing, or have already passed, pay transparency legislation, including California, Colorado, Maryland, New York State, New York City, Rhode Island, and Washington, with some new legislation potentially coming into force in early 2023. While specifics vary based on the jurisdiction, below
pay equity
Federal Pay Equity Update
We would like to remind federally-regulated employers that they are generally required to post a notice informing their employees of their obligations under the Pay Equity Act by November 1, 2021. The government has published a template notice and guidance here. Key things to keep in mind include:
- Employers can draft their own notice
…
La nouvelle Loi sur l’équité salariale s’en vient

L’équité salariale occupe une place importante dans l’actualité québécoise et canadienne depuis plusieurs mois. En effet, une importante saga judiciaire s’est terminée en mai 2018 lorsque la Cour suprême a décidé qu’une loi sur l’équité salariale, adoptée par une législature provinciale ou fédérale, ne pouvait refuser aux femmes l’accès à des ajustements rétroactifs en cas…
Bill C-86 Receives Royal Assent: New Leaves, Greater Notices, Proactive Pay Equity & More

Bill C-86, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on February 27, 2018 and other measures (the “Bill”), received Royal Assent on December 13, 2018. As noted in our previous publications on the Bill’s amendments to the Canada Labour Code (the “Code”) and the introduction of the…
Employeurs sous réglementation fédérale : préparez-vous, l’équité salariale proactive s’en vient

Plus tôt cette année, nous avons appris que le gouvernement fédéral allait de l’avant avec sa promesse de renouveler le régime fédéral d’équité salariale À ce jour, le gouvernement fédéral n’a pas présenté de loi. Cependant, dans le Budget de 2018, le gouvernement a promis un régime fédéral d’équité salariale proactif concordant avec celui…
Federal Employers: Get Ready, Proactive Pay Equity is on the Horizon

Earlier this year, we learned that the federal government is going forward with its promise to re-vamp the federal pay equity system. As of yet, the federal government has not introduced any legislation. However, in the 2018 Budget Plan, the federal government has promised a proactive federal pay equity system in line with Ontario and Quebec’s: proactive pay equity. According to the 2018 Budget Plan, the new federal pay equity legislation would:
- Apply to federal employers with 10 or more employees, with pay equity requirements built as much as possible into existing federal compliance regimes;
- Establish a streamlined pay equity process for employers with fewer than 100 employees;
- Set out specific timelines for implementation, and compulsory maintenance reviews;
- Include job types such as seasonal, temporary, part-time and full-time positions;
- Provide independent oversight;
- Ensure that both wages and other benefits are evaluated in a gender neutral way;
- Apply to the Federal Contractors Program on contracts equal to or greater than $1 million, and ensure a robust application of federal employment equity law; and
- Repeal previous legislation such as the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act which is inconsistent with the goal of pay equity.
While the information provided by the federal government is limited, it is probable that the federal government will implement pay equity legislation that would resemble a hybrid between Ontario and Quebec’s pay equity regimes. Most notably, the promise of an “independent oversight” will likely see the creation of a new regulatory body like the Pay Equity Commission in Ontario or the Commission des normes, de l’équité de la santé et de la sécurité du travail in Quebec, which have expansive powers to investigate and enforce their respective acts.
The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a pay equity case
In October 2016, we informed our readers and clients that the Québec Court of Appeal had unanimously upheld a Superior Court decision finding certain sections of the Pay Equity Act (Act) unconstitutional. The sections of the Act in question are those relating to retroactivity, employee participation in audits and posting of audit results.…
Key employment law developments expected during 2017 in Québec
In the course of the year, it will be interesting to see how the Government of Québec will deal with pay equity matters. In an important decision issued last October, the Québec Court of Appeal declared that several sections of the Pay Equity Act were unconstitutional. More specifically, it struck down the ’09 provisions dealing…