California · Labor Code

LAB §1199.5: Every employer or other person acting either individually or as an officer, agent, or employee of another person is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand do

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Employers who willfully pay employees unequal wages based on sex, race, or ethnicity, or reduce wages to avoid equal-pay requirements, commit a misdemeanor punishable by fine up to $10,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both.

Read the full statutory text

Every employer or other person acting either individually or as an officer, agent, or employee of another person is guilty of a misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both, who willfully does any of the following: (a) Pays or causes to be paid any employee a wage less than the rate paid to an employee of another sex, race, or ethnicity, as required by Section 1197.5. (b) Reduces the wages of any employee in order to comply with Section 1197.5. No person shall be imprisoned pursuant to this section except for an offense committed after the conviction of the person for a prior offense pursuant to this section.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.