State Sen. Jackson’s SB 358 would be the strongest equal pay law in the nation
From Amigos805 staff reports
State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson speaking before the California Senate Judicial Committee as she seeks support for passage of SB 358, the California Fair Pay Act. Courtesy photo.
With women in California making 84 cents for every dollar a man earns, an effort to address pay inequality recently passed a major hurdle in the state capitol.
Senate Bill 358, the California Fair Pay Act, a bill authored by State Sen Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), passed off the Assembly floor on Aug. 27 on a bipartisan 76 to 2 vote.
The bill now heads to the Senate for a final vote before heading to the governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 358, the California Fair Pay Act, would ensure that women are paid equally for work that is substantially similar to the work of their male colleagues and do not face retaliation if they discuss or ask how much their male colleagues are paid. If signed into law, it would be the strongest equal pay law in the nation.
“Equal pay isn’t just the right thing for women, it’s the right thing for our economy and for California. And it is long overdue. Families rely on women’s income more than ever before. Because of the wage gap, our state and families are missing out on $33.6 billion dollars a year,” Jackson stated during a news conference held earlier in the week. She was was joined by Democratic and Republican members of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, as well as equal rights advocates and the California Chamber of Commerce in urging support for the bill.
“That money could be flowing into families’ pocketbooks, into our businesses and our economy,” Jackson said. “After years of dealing with a persistent wage gap, and an equal pay law that has been on the books since 1949 but that is not as strong as it should be, the time is now for women’s paychecks to finally reflect their hard work and true value. It is time that we fix the wage gap that women face at work and lead the nation in showing how it can be done.”
Aileen Rizo, a Fresno resident and math consultant at the Fresno County Office of Education, has testified numerous times in support of the bill, Jackson reported in a media release. Rizo has a complaint pending in court over pay inequity she discovered while working at the Fresno County Office of Education in 2012. She discovered a male colleague was being paid $12,000 more per year for the same work, even though he was hired four years after she was, and had less experience, education and seniority. The court will soon decide whether Rizo’s case goes to trial. For more about her story, go to http://www.equalpay.me/
“This bill will give women more tools to fight pay discrimination and close loopholes that hold women back,” Rizo said.
The Assembly floor vote comes a day after Gov. Jerry Brown’s office took the unusual step of announcing the governor’s support for the bill on Twitter. On Aug. 26, which marked the 95th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, Nancy McFadden, executive secretary for legislation, appointments and policy, tweeted, “Breaking w/convention on #WomensEqualityDay to announce @JerryBrownGov will sign CA Fair Pay Act when it reaches his desk. #EqualPay #SB358.”
Visit http://sd19.senate.ca.gov/news/2015-08-28-jackson-bill-close-wage-gap-women-face-work-passes-assembly-floor for more information.