The Massachusetts legislature recently passed a bill to promote equal pay for female employees that would impose more rigorous requirements on employers. Under the state’s current Equal Pay Act, employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on gender in payment for comparable work. The new law further defines comparable work, and prohibits employers from screening applicants based on their pay history. The new law stipulates that employers cannot ask potential employees about their previous salaries. Additionally, seeking the salary history of applicants without their consent would be prohibited, as would any action on the part of the employer to keep employees from discussing their compensation with one another. The bill’s proponents say the new law will help promote equal pay for men and women where compensation is determined by workloads and experience, rather than an already flawed pay structure where men are compensated more than women. If the governor sings the bill, it will become effective on January 1, 2018.