Subdivision 1. General prohibition.
No employer shall discriminate between employees on the basis of sex by paying wages to employees at a rate less than the rate the employer pays to employees of the opposite sex for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and which are performed under similar working conditions, except where such payment is made pursuant to a seniority system, a merit system, a system which measures earnings by quantity or quality of production, or a differential based on any other factor other than sex. Provided, that an employer who is paying a wage rate differential in violation of sections 181.66 to 181.71 shall not, in order to comply with the provisions of sections 181.66 to 181.71 , reduce the wage rate of any employee.
Subd. 2. Employees involved in proceeding.
No employer shall discriminate against any employee in regard to hire or tenure of employment or any term or condition of employment because the employee has filed a complaint in a proceeding under sections 181.66 to 181.71 , or has testified, or is about to testify, in any investigation or proceedings pursuant to sections 181.66 to 181.71 or in a criminal action pursuant to sections 181.66 to 181.71 .