Quebec's Pay Equity Act — 2019 Amendments: Retroactive Adjustments and Five-Year Audits

Quebec's Pay Equity Act was amended on 10 April 2019 after a 2018 Supreme Court of Canada ruling found parts of the earlier law unconstitutional. Employers with 10 or more employees must conduct a pay equity audit comparing female- and male-dominated job classes, repeat it every five years and post the results.
Key changes: wage adjustments must be paid retroactively to the event that created the gap; documentation must be retained for six years (previously five); employers must give employees information and a voice in the process, including informing them at least 60 days before posting where a committee or certified union is involved. The CNESST supervises the regime, standardises complaint forms, can group related complaints and sets required adjustments.
Evidence caveat: the sources reviewed describe legal design and deadlines; no independent quantified evaluation of the gap reduction was found, and the undefined legal term 'event' leaves case-by-case interpretation for employers.

Read the full analysis: https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/en/prevention-and-safety/pay-equity