PRINTER'S NO. 1503
No. 135 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, MANDERINO, FICHTER, BEBKO-JONES, WALKO,
BELFANTI, BUXTON, ARGALL, BARRAR, BELARDI, BISHOP,
CAPPABIANCA, COLAFELLA, CORRIGAN, COSTA, CURRY, DALLY,
DEMPSEY, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GRUCELA, HABAY, HARHAI, HARHART,
HORSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KAISER, LEDERER, MANN, McCALL, MUNDY,
YOUNGBLOOD, FEESE, DeLUCA, CARN, CIVERA, VAN HORNE, TIGUE,
YEWCIC, PESCI, PETRARCA, PIPPY, PISTELLA, PRESTON, RAYMOND,
READSHAW, RUFFING, SAINATO, SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, STABACK,
STEELMAN, STEVENSON, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR,
J. TAYLOR, TRAVAGLIO, WILLIAMS, ROBINSON, BOYES, LEVDANSKY,
SANTONI, L. I. COHEN, MASLAND, TULLI, CAWLEY, MICOZZIE, VEON,
CALTAGIRONE, STURLA, HERSHEY, LAUGHLIN, RAMOS, ROBERTS,
GANNON, MARKOSEK, STETLER, EVANS, TRICH, DeWEESE, GEORGE,
WOJNAROSKI, OLIVER, DAILEY, PETRONE, ROONEY, ROEBUCK, THOMAS,
MYERS, BROWNE, RUBLEY, GIGLIOTTI, BUNT, TRUE, ADOLPH, ALLEN,
BARD, BATTISTO, BENNINGHOFF, BLAUM, BUTKOVITZ, CASORIO,
M. COHEN, COY, DALEY, DERMODY, DONATUCCI, DRUCE, EACHUS,
GRUITZA, HALUSKA, HANNA, HENNESSEY, KELLER, KENNEY, LaGROTTA,
LAWLESS, LESCOVITZ, LUCYK, MAJOR, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, McGILL,
McNAUGHTON, MELIO, MICHLOVIC, NAILOR, NICKOL, O'BRIEN,
PLATTS, RIEGER, SAYLOR, SERAFINI, SEYFERT, SHANER, SOLOBAY,
STAIRS, TRELLO, VANCE, WASHINGTON, WILT, WOGAN AND YUDICHAK,
APRIL 15, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 15, 1999
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to study the
2 issue of workplace pay disparity and 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 1999 marks the 40th anniversary of the act
1 of December 17, 1959 (P.L.1913, No.694), known as the Equal Pay
2 Law, a law which is as relevant today as it was on the day it
3 was signed; and
4 WHEREAS, The Equal Pay Law, along with the act of October 27,
5 1955 (P.L.744, No.222), known as the Pennsylvania Human
6 Relations Act, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (Public Law 88-38, 77
7 Stat. 56) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
8 Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241), provides a critical foundation for
9 women seeking greater opportunities in the workplace and a
10 paycheck free from stereotypes about the value of women's work;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, Legislative efforts are currently under way at the
13 Federal level which call for enhanced enforcement of equal pay
14 laws, as well as additional policy initiatives and improved
15 training for government agencies charged with enforcing equal
16 pay requirements under the law; and
17 WHEREAS, The issue of equal pay continues to resonate among
18 women in the 1990's, as illustrated by a 1994 survey conducted
19 by the Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, which found that
20 improving pay and benefits was one of working women's three main
21 priorities for change, along with balancing work and family and
22 gaining respect and opportunity on the job; and
23 WHEREAS, According to the Department of Labor and Industry,
24 Bureau of Research and Statistics, the trend of more women
25 entering the labor force in this Commonwealth will continue
26 through the year 2005; and
27 WHEREAS, Women's share of the labor force will continue to
28 increase, exceeding 47% as a larger proportion looks for jobs;
29 and
30 WHEREAS, The effects of wage disparity can follow women
19990H0135R1503 - 2 -
1 throughout their lives, since pension and Social Security
2 benefits are based on pay earned while working; and
3 WHEREAS, The existence of pay disparities:
4 (1) can depress the wages of working families who rely
5 on the wages of all members of the family to make ends meet;
6 (2) can prevent the maximum utilization of the available
7 labor resources; and
8 (3) violates the longstanding public policy of the
9 Commonwealth against wage discrimination;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, There is a need for a comprehensive reexamination of
12 the role that Federal and State laws play in the daily
13 deterrence of workplace wage discrimination; therefore be it
14 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
15 direct the Joint State Government Commission to study workplace
16 pay disparity in this Commonwealth; and be it further
17 RESOLVED, That the area of review include a study of the
18 Equal Pay Law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Equal
19 Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
20 determine their effectiveness in deterring wage disparity in the
21 workplace, a review of current Federal and State law to
22 determine if additional policy initiatives or outreach programs
23 or legislation is needed to ensure equal pay in this
24 Commonwealth, a review of current training and funding
25 mechanisms to determine if government agencies have the tools
26 and resources they need to identify and pursue equal pay
27 violations, and a study of Federal policy initiatives addressing
28 wage disparity as they may apply to this Commonwealth; and be it
29 further
30 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
19990H0135R1503 - 3 -
1 its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the
2 General Assembly by November 30, 2000.
C29L82BIL/19990H0135R1503 - 4 -