Akerman employment partner Mishell Parreno Taylor told Law360 this week she isn't surprised a salary history ban and paycheck discrimination protections are up for consideration in the Texas legislature this year. The article notes that laws requiring salary range disclosure and bans on inquiring about an applicant's pay history are becoming more common across the country.

"This has become a critical topic in pay equity," Parreno Taylor said. "Salary history ban laws are considered important in helping minimize and ultimately eliminate workplace pay disparities."

Parreno Taylor, who practices in California as well as Texas, said that those states are strong markers of national employment law trends and added that as California adopts these types of laws, the more likely it is they will show up for debate in Texas.

Parreno Taylor focuses her practice on employment litigation in federal and state courts and administrative agencies across the country. She partners with stakeholders in organizations of all sizes, ranging from local to global corporations on a broad spectrum of employment law issues, including defending clients against individual and class-wide claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation. Additionally, she handles both individual and class action/California Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) wage and hour litigation in matters involving claims of missed meal and rest periods, unlawful deductions, misclassification, expense reimbursement, and off-the-clock work. Mishell has been the go-to partner for organizations as they navigate complex workplace compliance issues and develop innovative solutions for achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives.