PRINTER'S NO. 1922
No. 207 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, APRIL 17, 2002
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, APRIL 17, 2002
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 2002 marks the 43rd 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, According to the Department of Labor and Industry,
13 Bureau of Research and Statistics, the trend of more women
14 entering the labor force in this Commonwealth will continue
15 through the year 2005; 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 House of Representatives concurring), That the
29 General Assembly direct the Joint State Government Commission to
30 study workplace pay disparity in this Commonwealth; and be it
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1 further
2 RESOLVED, That the area of review include a study of the
3 Equal Pay Law, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Equal
4 Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
5 determine their effectiveness in deterring wage disparity in the
6 workplace, a review of current Federal and State law to
7 determine if additional policy initiatives, outreach programs or
8 legislation is needed to ensure equal pay in this Commonwealth,
9 a review of current training and funding mechanisms to determine
10 if government agencies have the tools and resources they need to
11 identify and pursue equal pay violations and a study of Federal
12 policy initiatives addressing wage disparity as they may apply
13 to this Commonwealth; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the Joint State Government Commission report
15 its findings, recommendations and proposed legislation to the
16 General Assembly by November 30, 2002.
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