Signed by Governor Larry Hogan, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of gender identity, effective October 1, 2016.

Highlights:

• Prohibits an employer from discriminating between employees in an occupation based on gender identity by performing the following actions (Sec. 1):
• Paying a wage at a lesser rate than an employee of another gender identity; or
• Providing less favorable employment opportunities.

• Prohibits an employer from taking adverse action against an employee for performing the following actions (Sec. 1):
• Inquiring about another employee’s wages;
• Disclosing the employee’s own wages; or
• Discussing another employee’s voluntarily disclosed wages.

• Authorizes an employee to bring action against an employer for injunctive relief and to recover unpaid wages, if the employer knew or “reasonably should have known” that the employer was in violation of the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1).

• Requires an employee seeking injunctive relief against an employer to file an action within 3 years of the employee’s last paycheck (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits wage discrimination on the basis of gender identity, effective October 1, 2016.

Highlights:

• Prohibits an employer from discriminating between employees in an occupation based on gender identity by performing the following actions (Sec. 1):
• Paying a wage at a lesser rate than an employee of another gender identity; or
• Providing less favorable employment opportunities.

• Prohibits an employer from taking adverse action against an employee for performing the following actions (Sec. 1):
• Inquiring about another employee’s wages;
• Disclosing the employee’s own wages; or
• Discussing another employee’s voluntarily disclosed wages.

• Authorizes an employee to bring action against an employer for injunctive relief and to recover unpaid wages, if the employer knew or “reasonably should have known” that the employer was in violation of the provisions of this bill (Sec. 1).

• Requires an employee seeking injunctive relief against an employer to file an action within 3 years of the employee’s last paycheck (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text