California Pay Data Reporting Requirements

In the world of regulatory compliance there are certainly a lot of dates to remember, and here’s another one to put on your radar, and by all means put it on your calendar today! The California 2022 Pay Data Reports are due May 10, 2023.


What is it and does it even apply to my organization?


California law (Government Code § 12999) requires “employers with 100 or more payroll or labor contractor employees to annually submit data on the pay, hours worked, and demographics of their employees and labor contractors’ employees to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD).” 

Ok, but I would like to understand the “why behind the why” of filing such a report.


Why is it important?


Although considerable progress has been made to strengthen California’s equal pay laws, a gender pay gap still exists which results in billions of dollars in annual lost wages for women. This issue indirectly affects families and the state’s economy. While it’s true there are legitimate reasons for paying some employees more than others, that side of the issue is not germane to this conversation. Often disguised as something else, the sad truth is that unconscious bias continues to sneak into the workplace along with discrimination and it still exists today. The idea behind the Pay Data Reports is to encourage employers to investigate their own pay disparities and to promote self-imposed compliance with equal pay and anti-discrimination laws. 


Now that I understand the what and the why, how do I go about filing my report?


You can use the following steps to get started.  

  1. Register in the CRD’s pay data portal to submit your reports at https://pdr.calcivilrights.ca.gov and provide information about your business, parent/affiliates (if any), and other information.
    • Remember that the CRD does not accept reports by email or hard copy. 
  2. Create your Payroll Employee Report and/or Labor Contractor Employee Report depending on your reporting obligations. If you are obligated to submit both report types, you must submit your Payroll Employee Report separately from your Labor Contractor Employee Report. 
    • Don’t worry, the process for creating and submitting both report types is basically the same. 
  3. Submit your reports using one of the following three methods: 
    • Upload an Excel file using the CRD’s template, following the instructions in the template and the user guide to the portal (suggested method); 
    • Upload a .CSV file using the instructions in the user guide to the portal; 
    • Or use the portal’s fillable forms. 

For more information about the California 2022 Pay Data Reports, your filing requirements, and the next steps in the process, please contact us at 1-800-708-3655.  


HR Unlimited, Inc. specializes in helping federal contractors and employers effectively meet their AAP and EEO compliance obligations. Please contact us to discuss any of your questions, concerns, or needs in this area.