The United States guarantees equal pay for substantially equal work under the federal Equal Pay Act, but has no federal equal-value or job-evaluation mandate, and is the headline non-ratifier of ILO Convention 100. Some states have introduced comparable-worth or pay-equity measures that go further.
Federal law requires equal pay for substantially equal work; no federal equal-value mandate. Some states go further.
Compensable factors referenced: Skill, effort, responsibility, working conditions (Equal Pay Act, for 'equal work').
United States currently has no job-evaluation mandate: its equal pay protections apply to the same or substantially similar work, not to different jobs of equal value. Multinational employers should note the gap — pay structures that are compliant here may still need equal-value justification in other jurisdictions, and structured job evaluation remains the recognized good practice for building defensible pay systems.
PointFactors implements the analytical, factor-based methodology referenced by pay equity laws worldwide.
Book a DemoInformational summary of legal requirements, not legal advice. Verify against primary sources before relying on it.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-11