The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex by paying wages at a rate less than the rate at which the employer pays wages to employees of the opposite sex for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility. This provision applies to all employees who work in the same establishment. Employers who violate this section may be liable for back pay and other damages. The Act also provides for the recovery of attorney's fees and costs.
This law requires employers to pay men and women the same amount for doing the same job, and those who break this rule may have to pay back the money they owe and other penalties.