You understand the importance of salary transparency. You know that you can better advocate for yourself when you know what your coworkers are earning. But what do you do if your employer has policies discouraging or preventing you from sharing salary information? And worse, what do you do if your employer threatens or punishes you for talking about your salary?

Retaliation is a form of employment discrimination or harassment. It can take many forms including but not limited to discipline, demotion, firing, salary reduction, or job or shift reassignment. Salary sharing is a protected activity, meaning it is a federal labor right. But many employers, especially in the private sector, continue to retaliate against employees for discussing salary because the punishment for doing so is insignificant; employers may be forced to provide backpay or rehire wrongfully terminated employees.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would protect workers by strengthening punishments for employers who commit equal pay violations. Support the Paycheck Fairness Act and protect your right to share salary information for collective bargaining.