Skill
The EPA determines the skill of the job based on factors such as the position’s required experience, ability, education and training. The skills required for the job, not the skills possessed by the individual employees, determine the comparative skill level of a position.
Effort
This is a measure of the physical or mental exertion required by the position. Jobs do not need to be alike to require similar effort levels.
Responsibility
This measures the amount of accountability associated with the position. For example, a position that requires an individual to manage the company’s budget requires more responsibility than turning out the lights at the end of the day.
Working Conditions
The work environment determines the conditions of the job. This includes two factors: components of physical surroundings, such as temperature, ventilation etc. and any hazards in the workplace.
Establishment
A wage inequality case is only valid for jobs within a single physical location, rather than inequality between separate locations of one business. In some cases, separate locations may be treated as a single establishment.
What happens if two jobs are comparable in the criteria listed above? Then the Equal Pay Act counts them as equal work. If two individuals perform equal work, then it is illegal for one to receive less pay than the other. Payment includes all forms of compensation, such as salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and other benefits.
