Developments In Equal Pay Litigation - 2022 Update

© 2022 Seyfarth Shaw LLP Developments in Equal Pay Litigation | v TABLE OF CONTENTS EQUAL PAY LEGISLATION..................................................................................................................1 A. The Federal Equal Pay Act And Title VII ...............................................................................1 B. State Equal Pay Legislation ...................................................................................................1 C. Other State And Local Pay Equity Initiatives .........................................................................2 CASE LAW DEVELOPMENTS IN 2021 AND EARLY 2022 .................................................................5 A. Proving The Prima Facie Case ..............................................................................................5 1. Establishing A Wage Disparity......................................................................................5 2. Showing That Work Is “Equal” Or “Substantially Similar”...........................................12 B. Significant Class And Collective Action Decisions...............................................................20 1. Recent Cases Involving Collective Action Certification ..............................................20 2. Recent Cases Involving Class Action Certification.....................................................26 C. Disproving Discrimination: Employers’ Affirmative Defenses ..............................................29 1. Proving A Factor Other Than Sex...............................................................................29 2. Additional State Law Requirements To Establish The Factor Other Than Sex Defense .......................................................................................................................33 3. Potentially Discriminatory Factors Other Than Sex: Salary History And Beyond ......34 4. Other Affirmative Defenses.........................................................................................40 5. Pretext .........................................................................................................................42 D. Other Important Substantive Decisions Impacting Equal Pay Litigation .............................46 1. Retaliation Claims .......................................................................................................46 2. Arbitration Agreements ...............................................................................................49 3. Proving An “Establishment” ........................................................................................53 4. Who Is An “Employer” Under The EPA? ....................................................................55 5. Statute Of Limitations And Willfulness Issues ............................................................58 DEVELOPMENTS IN EEOC ENFORCEMENT OF EQUAL PAY ACT CLAIMS................................59