Illinois governor approves Equal Pay Act for women

CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed into law on Sunday a bill that gives added protection to women so they aren't paid less than men for the same or similar work.

The governor's office said the Illinois Equal Pay Act expands the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 to give about 330,000 more women in the state protection from gender-based discrimination in pay.

A spokeswoman for the governor, Cheryle Jackson, said the law will apply to public employees and private companies with four or more employees. She said federal law applies to companies doing interstate commerce with annual sales of $500,000.

Employers found guilty of pay discrimination will be required under the new law to pay the wage difference for employees, pay legal costs and face a fine of up to $2,500 per violation, the governor's office said.

Blagojevich pointed to a recent report by the state's labor department that found women in Illinois were earning 71 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Blagojevich said that "closing the economic gap" between men and women is not only fair, it will help the state's economy.

"Women make up half the work force," he said in the statement. "The more they bring home, the more Illinois families will have to spend on goods and services in their communities."

The federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits employers from paying men more than women for the same or similar work, except when the wage difference is based on seniority, merit or factors other than gender, the governor's office said.