Michigan House Bill HB4296

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/25/25
• Refer: 3/25/25

Caption

House Bill 4296 of 2025

Summary

HB 4296 would amend section 556 of the Michigan penal code, which currently addresses wage discrimination by employers. The bill expands the statute’s protected categories beyond sex to include religion, race, color, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status, and other characteristics or attributes protected under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, for similarly employed workers. It also removes outdated language that singled out women for special work restrictions based on strength, morals, health, or motherhood capacity. The bill changes the penalty structure for violations from a misdemeanor framework to specific civil-style fine amounts tied to employer size: up to $5,000 for employers with 1 to 15 employees, up to $10,000 for employers with 16 to 50 employees, and up to $20,000 for employers with more than 50 employees. It also clarifies that wage differences based on factors other than the protected characteristics listed in the statute do not violate the section, and it preserves the possibility of prosecution or punishment under other laws arising from the same conduct. The act would take effect 90 days after enactment.

Impact

HB 4296 would broaden Michigan’s wage-discrimination prohibition in the penal code and align it more closely with modern civil rights protections by incorporating categories from the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Employers of labor in Michigan would face expanded legal exposure if they pay similarly employed workers differently based on any of the listed protected characteristics. The bill would also replace the existing misdemeanor language with tiered fines based on employer size, affecting enforcement and penalty calculations under MCL 750.556.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill is intended as a modernization and anti-discrimination measure, with no recorded committee transcript or vote history showing opposition or support. The caption indicates a focus on modifying wage discrimination based on sex and increasing fines, but the text itself broadens the statute substantially to cover multiple protected classes and remove antiquated gender-based provisions. Overall, the bill appears framed as a corrective update to outdated law rather than a controversial policy shift, though the expanded liability and higher fines could draw employer concerns.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on the scope of the protected categories and the penalty structure. Employers may object to the broader list of characteristics incorporated from the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and to the higher fines tied to business size, while civil rights advocates would likely support the expansion and the removal of outdated, paternalistic language about women’s work. Another possible issue is the bill’s interaction with existing civil rights and employment laws, since it preserves other criminal liability and references protected traits already covered elsewhere in Michigan law.