Gov. Brown Signs California Fair Pay Act

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday making California’s equal pay laws amongst the toughest in the nation.

He selected the Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park in Richmond to sign SB 358, the California Fair Pay Act.

“Sixty-six years after passage of the California Equal Pay Act, many women still earn less money than men doing the same or similar work,” said Gov. Brown. “This bill is another step toward closing the persistent wage gap between men and women.”

The legislation was supported by state and local leaders. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein issued this reaction, “Women in California earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. While better than the national average of 79 cents, the California wage gap totals nearly $40 billion each year in lost wages. Even when women perform the same job as men, with the same level of education, the wage gap persists. We can’t allow this discrimination to continue.”

According to the governor’s office, California will now require equal pay, regardless of gender, for “substantially similar work.”

The new law also prohibits retaliation against employees who invoke the law, protects those who discuss wages and allows claims based on salaries at different workplaces.

--Image via State of California