PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1560 PRINTER'S NO. 3457
No. 281 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY WATSON, ADOLPH, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BIANCUCCI,
BOBACK, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CLYMER, COHEN, DALEY,
DePASQUALE, EVERETT, FLECK, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE,
GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HARKINS, HARPER, HENNESSEY,
HERSHEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KENNEY, KIRKLAND, KOTIK, KULA,
MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, McILHATTAN, MOYER, MUNDY, MUSTIO,
PALLONE, PETRARCA, PICKETT, RAPP, READSHAW, REED, REICHLEY,
RUBLEY, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SEIP, SURRA, SWANGER,
TRUE, VEREB, WALKO, WHEATLEY, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD,
SIPTROTH, QUINN AND THOMAS, MAY 18, 2007
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 18, 2008
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the
2 issue of workplace pay disparity, to reexamine existing
3 Federal and State laws relating to that issue and to make
4 recommendations to the General Assembly.
5 WHEREAS, Women work for pay in greater numbers, in more
6 occupations and for more years of their lives than ever before;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, The year 2007 marks the 48th 2008 MARKS THE 49TH <--
9 anniversary of the act of December 17, 1959 (P.L.1913, No.694),
10 known as the Equal Pay Law, a law which is as relevant today as
11 it was on the day it was signed; and
12 WHEREAS, The Equal Pay Law, along with the act of October 27,
13 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human
14 Relations Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Public Law 88-38, 77
1 Stat. 56) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
2 Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241), provides a critical foundation for
3 women seeking greater opportunities in the workplace and
4 compensation without wage discrimination; and
5 WHEREAS, Legislative efforts are currently under way at the
6 Federal level which call for enhanced enforcement of equal pay
7 laws as well as additional policy initiatives and improved
8 training for government agencies charged with enforcing equal
9 pay requirements under the law; and
10 WHEREAS, A 1994 survey conducted by the Department of Labor,
11 Women's Bureau, found that improving pay and benefits was one of
12 working women's three main priorities for change, along with
13 balancing work and family and gaining respect and opportunity on
14 the job, and the issue of equal pay continues to resonate among
15 women; and
16 WHEREAS, Women's share of the labor force is continuing to
17 increase, with the effects of wage disparity following women
18 throughout their lives as pension and Social Security benefits
19 are based on pay earned while working; and
20 WHEREAS, Pay disparities depress the wages of working
21 families who rely on the wages of all members of the family to
22 make ends meet, prevent maximum utilization of available labor
23 resources and violate the longstanding public policy of the
24 Commonwealth against wage discrimination; and
25 WHEREAS, There is a need for a comprehensive reexamination of
26 the role of Federal and State laws in deterring workplace wage
27 discrimination; therefore be it
28 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
29 direct the Joint State Government Commission to study workplace
30 pay disparity in this Commonwealth; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That the area of review include a study of the
2 Equal Pay Law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Equal
3 Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
4 determine their effectiveness in deterring wage disparity in the
5 workplace, a review of current Federal and State law to
6 determine if additional policy initiatives, outreach programs or
7 legislation is needed to ensure equal pay in this Commonwealth,
8 a review of current training and funding mechanisms to determine
9 if government agencies have the tools and resources they need to
10 identify and pursue equal pay violations and a study of Federal
11 policy initiatives addressing wage disparity as they may apply
12 to this Commonwealth; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
14 its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the
15 General Assembly by November 30, 2007 2008. <--
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