PRINTER'S NO. 476
No. 50 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, KITCHEN, BOSCOLA, RHOADES, MUSTO, LAVALLE,
ARMSTRONG, STOUT, FERLO, STACK, LOGAN, TARTAGLIONE, O'PAKE,
FUMO, WOZNIAK AND RAFFERTY, MARCH 14, 2007
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, MARCH 14, 2007
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 anniversary of the act
9 of December 17, 1959 (P.L.1913, No.694), known as the Equal Pay
10 Law, a law which is as relevant today as it was on the day it
11 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
15 Stat. 56) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public
16 Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241), provides a critical foundation for
17 women seeking greater opportunities in the workplace and
18 compensation without wage discrimination; and
1 WHEREAS, Legislative efforts are currently under way at the
2 Federal level which call for enhanced enforcement of equal pay
3 laws as well as additional policy initiatives and improved
4 training for government agencies charged with enforcing equal
5 pay requirements under the law; and
6 WHEREAS, A 1994 survey conducted by the Department of Labor,
7 Women's Bureau, found that improving pay and benefits was one of
8 working women's three main priorities for change, along with
9 balancing work and family and gaining respect and opportunity on
10 the job, and the issue of equal pay continues to resonate among
11 women; and
12 WHEREAS, Women's share of the labor force is continuing to
13 increase, with the effects of wage disparity following women
14 throughout their lives as pension and Social Security benefits
15 are based on pay earned while working; and
16 WHEREAS, Pay disparities depress the wages of working
17 families who rely on the wages of all members of the family to
18 make ends meet, prevent maximum utilization of available labor
19 resources and violate the longstanding public policy of the
20 Commonwealth against wage discrimination; and
21 WHEREAS, There is a need for a comprehensive reexamination of
22 the role of Federal and State laws in deterring workplace wage
23 discrimination; therefore be it
24 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
25 General Assembly direct the Joint State Government Commission to
26 study workplace pay disparity in this Commonwealth; and be it
27 further
28 RESOLVED, That the area of review include a study of the
29 Equal Pay Law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Equal
30 Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
20070S0050R0476 - 2 -
1 determine their effectiveness in deterring wage disparity in the
2 workplace, a review of current Federal and State law to
3 determine if additional policy initiatives, outreach programs or
4 legislation is needed to ensure equal pay in this Commonwealth,
5 a review of current training and funding mechanisms to determine
6 if government agencies have the tools and resources they need to
7 identify and pursue equal pay violations and a study of Federal
8 policy initiatives addressing wage disparity as they may apply
9 to this Commonwealth; and be it further
10 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
11 its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the
12 General Assembly by November 30, 2007.
A2L82JS/20070S0050R0476 - 3 -