According to the Utah Equal Pay Act, what is prohibited?

The Utah Equal Pay Act specifically addresses wage disparities between employees based on their sex when performing similar work. This legislation is designed to promote equality and ensure that individuals are compensated fairly regardless of gender, as long as they are doing work that requires similar skills, effort, and responsibility. It aims to eliminate the pay gap that has historically disadvantaged women in the workforce.

Understanding this principle helps clarify why other options do not align with the core tenet of the Act. For instance, pay discrimination based on geographic location can sometimes be a legitimate business necessity and doesn't inherently violate the Equal Pay Act. Similarly, differences in pay based on years of experience may reflect legitimate factors in salary that are not necessarily tied to sex and thus do not fall under the purview of this specific legislation. Lastly, salary negotiation differences between employees are generally not covered by the Act, as these negotiations may result in varying salaries based on individual circumstances rather than systemic discrimination.

In summary, the focus of the Utah Equal Pay Act is squarely on ensuring equal pay for equal work without regard to sex, which is why the correct choice is the identification of wage disparities based on sex for similar work.