1Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the
2issue of workplace pay disparity, to reexamine existing
3Federal and State laws relating to that issue and to make
4recommendations to the General Assembly.

5WHEREAS, Women work for pay in greater numbers, in more
6occupations and for more years of their lives than ever before;
7and

8WHEREAS, The year 2014 marks the 55th anniversary of the act 
9of December 17, 1959 (P.L.1913, No.694), known as the Equal Pay 
10Law, a law which is as relevant today as it was on the day it 
11was signed; and

12WHEREAS, The Equal Pay Law, along with the act of October 27, 
131955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human 
14Relations Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Public Law 88-38, 77 
15Stat. 56) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public 
16Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241), provides a critical foundation for
 

1women seeking greater opportunities in the workplace and 
2compensation without wage discrimination; and

3WHEREAS, Legislative efforts are currently under way at the
4Federal level which call for enhanced enforcement of equal pay
5laws as well as additional policy initiatives and improved
6training for government agencies charged with enforcing equal
7pay requirements under the law; and

8WHEREAS, A 1994 survey conducted by the United States
9Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, found that improving pay
10and benefits was one of working women's three main priorities
11for change, along with balancing work and family; and

12WHEREAS, Gaining respect and opportunity on the job and the
13issue of equal pay continue to resonate among women; and

14WHEREAS, Women's share of the labor force is now greater than
15their male counterparts for January 2010 with 64.2 million
16female payroll employees and 63.4 million male payroll employees
17according to the United States Department of Labor; and

18WHEREAS, The effects of wage disparity follow women
19throughout their lives, as pension and Social Security benefits
20are based on pay earned while working; and

21WHEREAS, Pay disparities depress the wages of working
22families who rely on the wages of all members of the family to
23make ends meet, prevent maximum utilization of available labor
24resources and violate the longstanding public policy of the
25Commonwealth against wage discrimination; and

26WHEREAS, According to the 2012 Census Bureau data, women
27Statewide average 76¢ for every $1 paid to men; and

28WHEREAS, A recent study by the American Association of
29University Women found that among people hired in their first
30year after college, women in 2009 were paid 82¢ for every $1

1paid to men; and

2WHEREAS, According to the National Committee on Pay Equity,
3women's earnings were 76.5% of men's in 2012, compared to 77% in
42011; and

5WHEREAS, Nationwide, men's median earnings in 2012 were
6$49,398 and women's were $37,791, a difference of $11,607; and

7WHEREAS, In Pennsylvania in 2012, the median pay for a woman
8working full time, year round, was $37,414 per year, while the
9median yearly pay for a man was $49,330, a yearly gap of $11,916
10between full-time working men and full-time working women in
11this Commonwealth; and

12WHEREAS, There is a need for a comprehensive reexamination of
13the role of Federal and State laws in deterring workplace wage
14discrimination; therefore be it

15RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
16direct the Joint State Government Commission to study workplace
17pay disparity in this Commonwealth; and be it further

18RESOLVED, That the area of review include a study of the
19Equal Pay Law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Equal
20Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
21determine their effectiveness in deterring wage disparity in the
22workplace; a review of current Federal and State law to
23determine if additional policy initiatives, outreach programs or
24legislation is needed to ensure equal pay in this Commonwealth;
25a review of current training and funding mechanisms to determine
26if government agencies have the tools and resources they need to
27identify and pursue equal pay violations; and a study of Federal
28policy initiatives addressing wage disparity as they may apply
29to this Commonwealth; and be it further

30RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report

1its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the
2General Assembly by November 30, 2014.