Equal Pay

Under the Louisiana Equal Pay for Women Act, an employer may not pay an employee less than another employee of a different sex within the same agency for the same or substantially similar work requiring equal skill, effort, education and responsibility under similar conditions.

• §La. R.S. 23:661StatuteShort title; citationOpens legis.la.gov ↗
• §La. R.S. 23:664StatuteProhibited actsOpens legis.la.gov ↗

• Differences are allowed for a seniority system, a merit system, pay by quantity or quality of production, or a job related factor other than sex.
• An employer may not cut anyone else's pay to fix a violation.
• No employer covered may retaliate against an employee for asking about, disclosing or discussing wages.

• §La. R.S. 23:664StatuteProhibited actsOpens legis.la.gov ↗

In private employment, the employment discrimination chapter separately forbids intentionally paying an employee less than one of the opposite sex for equal work.

• §La. R.S. 23:332StatuteIntentional discrimination in employmentOpens legis.la.gov ↗