HLS 14RS-1299 ORIGINAL Page 1 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2014 HOUSE BILL NO. 956 BY REPRESENTATIVES STOKES, BROADWATER, HODGES, AND SIMON AND SENATOR BUFFINGTON EMPLOYMENT/WAGES: Provides with respect to pay equality AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 23:332(A), relative to employment discrimination; to provide2 with respect to wage discrimination; and to provide for related matters.3 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:4 Section 1. R.S. 23:332(A) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:5 ยง332. Intentional discrimination in employment6 A. It shall be unlawful discrimination in employment for an employer to7 engage in any of the following practices:8 (1) Intentionally fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or9 otherwise to intentionally discriminate against any individual with respect to his10 compensation, or his terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of the11 individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.12 (2) Intentionally limit, segregate, or classify his employees or applicants for13 employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of14 employment opportunities, or otherwise adversely affect his the individual's status15 as an employee, because of the individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national16 origin.17 (3) Intentionally pay wages to an employee in any establishment at a rate less18 than that of another employee of the opposite sex in such establishment for equal19 work on jobs in which their performance requires equal skill, effort, and20 HLS 14RS-1299 ORIGINAL HB NO. 956 Page 2 of 2 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions. An1 employer paying wages in violation of this Section may not reduce the wages of any2 other employee in order to comply with this Section.3 DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] Stokes HB No. 956 Abstract: Provides that pay inequality in employment is a discriminatory practice. Present law provides that it is unlawful discrimination in employment for an employer to intentionally refuse to hire, discharge an individual, or otherwise discriminate against an individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Present law prohibits employers from intentionally segregating, limiting, or classifying individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in any way that would deprive the individual of employment opportunities. Proposed law provides that it shall be unlawful to pay an individual less than another individual on the basis of sex, when both individuals work on jobs that require equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions. Proposed law requires that an employer may not reduce the wages of any other employee in order to comply with proposed law. (Amends R.S. 23:332(A))