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New Illinois law to address gender wage gap takes effect next year
March 12 is "Equal Pay Day." It symbolizes how far into the year women have to work to match what men earned in the previous year. A change to Illinois' law seeks to close the gender wage gap. It goes into effect on January 1, 2025.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - An amendment to Illinois' legislation aimed at addressing the gender wage gap will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
Under the new law, employers in Illinois with more than 15 employees will be mandated to disclose the pay scale for each job listing, starting on January 1st. This amendment stems from changes made to the Equal Pay Act of 2003, passed last August.
To prepare employers for this change, an advocacy group dedicated to closing the gender pay gap hosted a conference Tuesday. The focus was on how employers can adapt to the new law effectively.
During the conference, discussions centered on how transparency regarding pay scales can benefit both employers and employees.
Equal Pay Chicago emphasized that transparency is a crucial step toward achieving pay equity. They highlighted that when employers withhold information about pay, it exacerbates gender and racial wage disparities, ultimately disadvantaging women and people of color.