Illinois law requires equal pay for women

Jet, June 2, 2003

Women in the state of Illinois can now earn just as much as men who do the same or similar work thanks to the signing of a new bill by the state's governor.

The Illinois Equal Pay Act recently signed into to law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich expands the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 to give about 330,000 more women in the state protection from gender-based discrimination in pay.

According to the governor's office the law prohibits employers from paying men more than women for the same or similar work, except when the wage difference is based on seniority, merit or factors other than gender.

Cheryle Jackson, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the law would apply to public employees and private companies with four or more employees. She said federal law applies to companies doing interstate commerce with annual sales of $500,000.

Employers found guilty of pay discrimination will be required under the new law to pay the wage difference for employees, pay legal costs and face a fine of up to $2,500 per violation, the governor's office reported.

Gov. Blagojevich pointed to a recent report by the state's labor department that found women in Illinois were earning 71 cents for every dollar earned by men.