COLUMBUS – In addition to being “Pi Day,” March 14 – 3/14 – was also Equal Pay Day, symbolizing how far into the year the U.S. Census Bureau says women must work to earn what men earned the year before.
Two Ohio state lawmakers have reintroduced the Ohio Equal Pay Act, which attempts to narrow the gender pay gap in the state.
The Census Bureau says a woman working full time earns only 84% of what a man earns doing the same kind of job.
The legislation, sponsored by Reps. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland):
Requires businesses with four or more employees, who contract with the state or receive state economic development grants or other development packages, to obtain an Equal Pay Certificate, which will certify that the employer offers growth opportunities to all employees regardless of gender.
Prohibits gag orders on employees that keep them from talking about their salaries with one another.
Prohibits an employer from requesting information regarding or seeking a prospective employee’s wage or salary history from the prospective employee or the current or former employer.
Requires government entities to evaluate their employees’ pay scales to ensure that compensation is based on similar skills, effort, responsibilities and working conditions across job categories so that adjustments can be made as needed where woman dominated job categories have been undervalued.
The bill was delivered to the House Clerk’s Office Tuesday and now awaits referral to a committee.