California CRD Releases 2024 Pay Data Report Highlighting Ongoing Pay Gaps

April 1, 2026

What's New

On March 26, 2026, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) released its annual analysis of employer-submitted pay data for Reporting Year 2024 along with the public-facing results portal, which allows employers and the public to review aggregated compensation data by job category, race, ethnicity, and gender. The data is drawn from annual Pay Data Reports submitted by private employers with 100 or more employees and covers nearly eight million workers statewide.

CRD’s accompanying press release emphasizes that women and people of color remain disproportionately represented in lower-paid positions across large private-sector employers. The agency framed the data as a tool to identify potential pay gaps and support enforcement of California’s equal pay and anti-discrimination laws.

What It Means

CRD’s release of aggregated 2024 pay data reinforces California’s ongoing focus on pay transparency and employer self-assessment. While the data highlights pay gaps across industries and job categories, CRD has characterized the reporting program primarily as a means to encourage voluntary compliance with equal pay and anti-discrimination laws, rather than as a trigger for enforcement.

What You Should Do

Covered employers should prepare to timely file their next California Pay Data Report by May 13, 2026. Employers should also consider proactively reviewing job classifications, compensation practices, and internal pay equity analyses to identify and address potential risk areas before submission.

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