Solicitation of employees: strikes, lockouts, and labor disturbances.

Existing law prohibits an employer from paying any of its employees at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work, when viewed as a composite of skill, effort, and responsibility, and performed under similar working conditions, unless the employer demonstrates that one or more specific factors, reasonably applied, account for the entire wage differential. Existing law also similarly prohibits an employer from paying any employee a wage rate less than the rate paid to an employee of another race or ethnicity for substantially similar work. Existing law also prohibits prior salary, by itself, from justifying any disparity in compensation. Existing law requires a civil action for violations of these provisions be brought within one year after the cause of action arises. Existing law also makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to refuse or neglect to comply with the above provisions of law. This bill would state that, for purposes of these provisions, "sex" also includes a person's gender identity or gender-related appearance. The bill would also require that an administrative action for violations of these provisions be brought within one year after the cause of action arises. The bill would state that these amendments do not constitute a change in, but are declaratory of, existing law.