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H.R. 2491 117th Congress House

Wage Equity Act of 2021

Official title: To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to enhance provisions related to wage discrimination, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 13, 2021 Introduced by: Elise M. Stefanik Republican · New York See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Accounting and auditingCivil actions and liabilityCongressional oversightEducation programs funding
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Elementary and secondary educationEmployee hiringEmployment and training programsEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment studies and investigationsHigher educationLabor standardsLabor-management relationsPersonnel recordsSex, gender, sexual orientation discriminationVocational and technical educationWages and earningsWomen's educationWomen's employment
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This bill died when the 117th Congress ended
It never became law before the 117th Congress (2021–2022) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 13, 2021
Introduced in House
Apr 13, 2021
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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 Latest action April 13, 2021

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Wage Equity Act of 2021

This bill addresses workplace wage discrimination based on sex.

Specifically, it limits the acceptable reasons for wage disparities based on sex to legitimate business-related factors unrelated to sex. It also protects from liability for such discrimination those employers who conduct a job and wage analysis audit to identify wage disparities and take reasonable steps to remedy any such disparities.

Further, the bill prohibits employers from relying on, or requesting, the wage history of a prospective employee for hiring and wage determination purposes unless it is voluntarily provided by the prospective employee. Employers generally may not prohibit employees from inquiring about, or discussing, wage information concerning another employee or from requesting information from an employer about wage differentials.

Finally, the bill permits the Department of Labor to establish a grant program for negotiation skills education for women and girls. It also requires the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the causes and effects of sex-based wage disparities.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 5053 Reintroduced Bill Wage Equity Act of 2023
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Lobbying activity 1

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

  • AARP
    for AARP · District of Columbia · 2nd Quarter 2025 (Apr 1 - June 30)

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

 Cosponsors 54
All 54 Republican 36
McHenry, Patrick
· May 11, 2021
 R
Kim, Young
California · Apr 30, 2021
 R
Wilson, Joe
South Carolina · Apr 20, 2021
 R
Bice, Stephanie I.
Oklahoma · Apr 15, 2021
 R
Franklin, Scott
Florida · Apr 15, 2021
UPTON, FRED
· Apr 15, 2021
 R
Hill, J. French
Arkansas · Apr 14, 2021
Katko, John
· Apr 14, 2021
 R
Kelly, Mike
Pennsylvania · Apr 14, 2021
 R
Letlow, Julia
Louisiana · Apr 14, 2021
 R
Obernolte, Jay
California · Apr 14, 2021
 R
Schweikert, David
Arizona · Apr 14, 2021
 R
Smucker, Lloyd
Pennsylvania · Apr 14, 2021
Steel, Michelle
· Apr 14, 2021
 R
Valadao, David G.
California · Apr 14, 2021
 R
Allen, Rick W.
Georgia · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Amodei, Mark E.
Nevada · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Bacon, Don
Nebraska · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Bost, Mike
Illinois · Apr 13, 2021
Bucshon, Larry
· Apr 13, 2021
Burgess, Michael
· Apr 13, 2021
Cawthorn, Madison
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Curtis, John R.
Utah · Apr 13, 2021
Davis, Rodney
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Diaz-Balart, Mario
Florida · Apr 13, 2021
Fortenberry, Jeff
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Foxx, Virginia
North Carolina · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Garbarino, Andrew R.
New York · Apr 13, 2021
Gonzalez, Anthony
· Apr 13, 2021
Granger, Kay
· Apr 13, 2021
Graves, Garret
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Guthrie, Brett
Kentucky · Apr 13, 2021
Herrera Beutler, Jaime
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Joyce, David P.
Ohio · Apr 13, 2021
Kinzinger, Adam
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Latta, Robert E.
Ohio · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Malliotakis, Nicole
New York · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Mann, Tracey
Kansas · Apr 13, 2021
McKinley, David
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Meuser, Daniel
Pennsylvania · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Miller-Meeks, Mariannette
Iowa · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Moore, Blake D.
Utah · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Newhouse, Dan
Washington · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Owens, Burgess
Utah · Apr 13, 2021
Rodgers, Cathy
· Apr 13, 2021
 R
Scott, Austin
Georgia · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Spartz, Victoria
Indiana · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Stauber, Pete
Minnesota · Apr 13, 2021
 R
Thompson, Glenn
Pennsylvania · Apr 13, 2021
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2491: Wage Equity Act of 2021. 117th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-2491/
MLA
"H.R. 2491: Wage Equity Act of 2021." 117th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-2491/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2491, 117th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-2491/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2491: Wage Equity Act of 2021](https://openamerica.io/bill/117-HR-2491/)
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