Pay Equity Act

The Department's proposed regulations regarding the Pay Equity Act are now available. The purpose of these regulations are to provide the public with guidance on the Department’s implementation and enforcement of the Pay Equity Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Sections 28-6-17 through 24.

The Act is intended to combat wage discrimination based on race or color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin by strengthening and closing gaps in existing wage discrimination laws.

Proposed Regulations

All interested parties are invited to submit written or oral comments concerning the proposed regulations by June 30, 2022 to the addresses listed below.

  • Mailing Address: Sean M. Fontes, Executive Counsel, Department of Labor and Training, 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920
  • Email Address: sean.fontes@dlt.ri.gov

The Department will also be hosting a public hearing on June 23, 2022 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

  • Public Hearing Location: Department of Labor and Training, 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI, 02920, Conference Room 73-1

For further information, please contact Sean M. Fontes, Executive Counsel, Department of Labor and Training, 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920, 462-8890, sean.fontes@dlt.ri.gov.

Self-Evaluation Form

Employers seeking to undertake a self-evaluation for purposes of asserting an affirmative defense to claims brought pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws § 28-6-18 must ensure that the self-evaluation is performed with due diligence and is reasonable in scope and detail based on their own individual circumstances. The definition of due diligence will likely differ for a small business with few categories of jobs and a larger or more operationally complex organization. Employers’ self-evaluations may be of their own design, or they can utilize the form made available on the Department of Labor and Training website.

The draft of the form is available below. In addition, the Department is providing steps that employers should consider undertaking as part of a self-evaluation. The nature of the analysis required will vary significantly depending on the size, makeup, and resources of each employer. The steps outlined below are intended only as general guidelines and use thereof is not dispositive proof of the due diligence or sufficiency of any self-evaluation.

The Department welcomes comment on the form and self-evaluation guidance. Comments regarding the form and/or self-evaluation guidance can be submitted to john.willumsen@dlt.ri.gov.