In March, employment law attorneys Kristin Bremer Moore and Lindsay Reynolds hosted two briefings on the Oregon Equal Pay Act, which largely took effect on January 1. The events were held to help Portland employers understand the key provisions of the law and to give practical advice on next steps for employers to comply with the Equal Pay Act.
Kristin and Lindsay provided an overview of the general provisions of the Equal Pay Act which, among other things, makes it unlawful to discriminate against employees in protected classes with regard to compensation. They broke down how to identify employees who are performing work of comparable character, what constitutes compensation, and discussed the bona fide factors that can be used to determine different compensation for employees in similar roles.
Since interpretation and enforcement of the Equal Pay Act is unclear until case law begins to roll out, they provided hypothetical scenarios on how an employer might determine compensation during review cycles or for hiring new employees. Kristin and Lindsay also helped prioritize important first steps that employer can take with regard to completing an equal pay analysis.
Kristin is Chair of, and Lindsay is a member of, Tonkon Torp’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. The Labor & Employment Practice Group provides practical solutions to labor and employment problems for a diverse group of Pacific Northwest employers.
