LANSING – Macomb County State Representatives Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores), Jennifer Haase (D-Richmond) and Lesia Liss (D-Warren) today announced legislation to create new legal avenues and provide tougher penalties for employers that engage in wage discrimination. The lawmakers were joined at the Capitol by advocates of pay equity in recognition of Equal Pay Day.
"We must make it clear that Michigan values fairness and equality," said Roberts, a sponsor of the plan. "We should not be treating men and women differently in the workplace. This discrimination hurts working men, women and their families because many need two incomes to get by. Under this plan, employers will face stiff penalties for not complying."
According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Michigan is ranked 44th in the nation for wage parity between men and women. Women working in Michigan are paid 71 cents for every $1 men make – a 29 percent pay gap. This puts Michigan far behind the national gender pay gap of 78 cents per dollar.
"Especially in these tough economic times we must protect all of Michigan's hard-working residents," Haase said. "There is no reason for Michigan workers to be treated unfairly simply because of their gender. Creating consequences for those who deprive our female residents of their right to equal pay for equal work is the right thing to do."
Under the plan introduced today, failing to provide equal compensation for work of comparable value will be a violation of the state's Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. In addition, gender-based pay discrimination will be a misdemeanor, with employers facing fines up to $2,000 or up to 90 days in jail for not complying. Employers guilty of a third violation would face fines up to $15,000.
House members intend to begin committee hearings on the legislation in upcoming weeks.
The fight for equal pay landed in national headlines in January when President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, ensuring women and other victims of pay discrimination can challenge their employers' practices. Lilly Ledbetter was a supervisor at Goodyear Tire and Rubber's plant in Gadsden, Alabama, from 1979 until her retirement in 1998. By the end of 1997, Ledbetter was being paid $550 less per month than the lowest paid male area manager, despite almost 20 years of service.
"Many women juggle their career along with the job of being a wife and a mother," Liss said. "It's a tough life to balance and many women don't get the credit they deserve, let alone the pay they are entitled to. Pay discrimination is a real problem in Michigan and it's time we take real action to end this lopsided treatment."
Groups gathering alongside the lawmakers included: the AAUW, Business and Professional Women, WomenWork!, National Organization for Women, Pay Equity Network, League of Women Voters, Michigan Women's Commission and others.