Equal Pay Bill Passes Oregon Legislature, Now Pending Before Governor Brown
Email to a friend
Permalink
Thursday, May 28, 2015
GoLocalPDX News Team
Today, the Oregon Senate passed a bill intended to help close the wage gap for women and people of color in Oregon. The Senate passed the bill 17 to 13 in a nearly party line vote, and it is now pending before Governor Kate Brown.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Diane Rosenbaum and Representatives Carla Piluso, Barbara Smith Warner and Jessica Vega Pederson, protects employees who inquire about, discuss, or disclose information about their wage or the wage of a coworker from disciplinary action. The measure also protects any employee who makes a charge or files a complaint based on the disclosure of wage information by the employee. This will make it possible for working Oregonians to access more information about how their pay compares to that of a colleague, while removing the potential for fear of retaliation, according to Family Forward Oregon.
“Equal pay for equal work is still a far off reality, which has dire consequences for women and the families who rely on them. We know that closing the wage gap in Oregon will take more than one policy change, but we are very pleased to see our lawmakers stepping up to take this important first step today,” said Family Forward’s Executive Director Andrea Paluso. “Without the ability to share pay information, women can’t even know when they’re being unfairly paid and by how much, let alone fix it. This is a sign that women’s economic security is a becoming a priority for our lawmakers.”
Work to close the wage gap in Oregon began with Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, who in 2011 directed the Oregon Council on Civil Rights to create a formal set of policy recommendations to close the wage gap in Oregon. Two years later during the 2013 legislative session, the Legislative Assembly passed Senate Bill 744 to direct the Council to study wage inequality and the factors that contribute to it. In January 2014, the Council issued its formal recommendations to address pay inequality in Oregon.
"Oregon’s pay gap doesn’t just hurt women and people of color, it hurts everyone, said Brad Avakian, Oregon Labor Commissioner. “By creating greater pay transparency, we can protect employees from retaliation and take an important step in the fight for equal pay. That’s good for individual workers, but also communities around the state.”
“Closing the wage gap is a priority for me. Pay inequity is clearly unfair and has significant impacts on women’s short and long-term economic security. When women earn less than men, their families also suffer the consequences, as do our communities when families are poorer and Oregonians have fewer dollars in their pockets,” said Representative Jessica Vega Pederson, a chief sponsor of the bill. “Making it easier for people to know if they’re being paid unequally, as HB 2007 does, is an important first step towards paying men, women, and people of color equally for equal work all across Oregon.”
Related Slideshow: Oregon’s 20 Best Jobs That Don’t Require a College Degree
There are many high-paying jobs in Oregon that don't require a four year college degree. The Oregon Employment Department looked at the average wages and future openings of these jobs. Check out what people can make without a degree.
Prev
Next
#20
Executive Secretaries & Admin. Assistants
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 1,823
Average hourly wage: $22.97
Prev
Next
#19
Supervisors & Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 5,744
Average hourly wage: $23.18
Prev
Next
#18
Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurses
Training required: Postsecondary non-degree
Total openings by 2022: 1,197
Average hourly wage: $23.39
Prev
Next
#17
Sheet Metal Workers
Training required: Apprenticeship
Total openings by 2022: 1,046
Average hourly wage: $23.99
Photo Credit: ellencanderson via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#16
Operating Engineers & Other Construction Equipment Operators
Training required: Moderate term on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 1,323
Average hourly wage: $24.31
Photo credit: Nomadic Lass on Flickr
Prev
Next
#15
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
Training required: Long term on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 2,298
Average hourly wage: $25.58
Photo credit: Kyle May on Flickr
Prev
Next
#14
Supervisors & Managers of Production and Operating Workers
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 1,776
Average hourly wage: $25.68
Photo Credit: ste3ve via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#13
Supervisors & Managers of Transportation/Material-Moving Vehicle Operators
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 1,138
Average hourly wage: $25.82
Photo Credit: Andrew Kudrin via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#12
Wholesale & Manufacture Representatives
Training required: Moderate term on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 5,515
Average hourly wage: $25.86
Photo Credit: toolstop via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#11
Correction Officers & Jailers
Training required: Moderate term on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 1,346
Average hourly wage: $26.27
Prev
Next
#10
Insurance Sales Agents
Training required: Postsecondary non-degree
Total openings by 2022: 1,084
Average hourly wage: $26.71
Prev
Next
#8
Property, Real Estate, & Community Association Managers
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 1,053
Average hourly wage: $26.80
Prev
Next
#7
Postal Service Mail Carriers
Training required: Short term on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 1,136
Average hourly wage: $26.88
Photo Credit: Charles Henry via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#6
Supervisors & Managers of Non-retail Sales Workers
Training required: None
Total openings by 2022: 987
Average hourly wage: $28.62
Prev
Next
#5
Firefighters
Training required: Postecondary non-degree
Total openings by 2022: 1,374
Average hourly wage: $30.41
Prev
Next
#4
Police & Sheriff Patrol Officers
Training required: Moderate on-the-job
Total openings by 2022: 1,824
Average hourly wage: $31.38
Prev
Next
#3
Plumbers, Pipers & Steamfitters
Training required: Apprenticeship
Total openings by 2022: 1,066
Average hourly wage: $32.59
Photo Credit: kozumel via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#2
Carpenters
Training required: Apprenticeship
Total openings by 2022: 2,659
Average hourly wage: $33.21
Photo Credit: freezr via Compfight cc
Prev
Next
#1
Computer Occupations
Training required: Postsecondary non-degree
Total openings by 2022: 1,694
Average hourly wage: $36.19
Photo Credit: Dave Dugdale via Compfight cc
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Email to a friend
Permalink
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It