• The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a federal law that prohibits wage discrimination based on gender. The law obliges businesses to pay equal wages to employees doing essentially the same job, regardless of the sex of individual employees. Pay differences can be based on merit, seniority, or any legitimate factor other than gender. The Equal Pay Act applies to all businesses regardless of the number of employees. Wage inequality between men and women for performing “substantially equal work” is prohibited unless the difference is due to a factor other than gender, such as a seniority or merit system. Equal Pay Act violation claims are covered by Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).