Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne, D-Theresa, announced that she helped pass legislation to help ensure women earn equal pay for equal work in New York State.
The package includes a resolution recognizing April 10 as Equal Pay Day, which represents how far into the year women must work to earn the same amount their male counterparts made the previous year
“Shortchanging women cheats our families, and we can’t let New York women be held back by discrimination,” Assemblywoman Jenne said.
“The gender pay gap robs hardworking North Country
families of the money they’ve rightfully earned and it hurts our economy,” she added.
Nationally, women earn 80 cents on average for every dollar a man does. It drops to 63 cents and 54 cents for African-American and Hispanic women, respectively.
While New York is the closest to closing the pay gap, women here still only make 89 cents for every dollar a man makes.
To combat discriminatory wage practices, the Assembly’s legislation includes the New York State Fair Pay Act to enforce pay equity, including broadening equal pay protections to
include equivalent jobs and ensuring that traditional female and minority jobs are not undervalued (A.4696).
Another bill in the package prohibits employers from requesting,
requiring or seeking wage or salary history from current or prospective as a condition for employment or promotion (A.2040-C).
Salary history questions have been used as an excuse to
pay women less than they deserve for far too long, Assemblywoman Jenne said, noting the lower starting wage follows that workers throughout their career.
In addition, the legislation includes a measure to implement a state policy to ensure wage equality for state and municipal employees (A.658).
These bills will help ensure that gender, race and national origin do not impact compensation, according to Assemblywoman Jenne.
She also helped pass a measure to ensure the state complies with the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and gives public employees a private right of
action to sue for compensation and enforce equal pay disparities (A.2425).
“Whether you’re a man or a woman, equal work deserves equal pay, and this package delivers on that truth,” Assemblywoman Jenne said, noting the legislation offers exceptions for merit and seniority.
“If you put in the same work with the same skills, you deserve the same paycheck. North Country families know what it means to work hard, and I’m fighting to make sure they get what they’ve earned,” she added.