Gov. Gretchen Whitmer rallied supporters at an equal pay day event Wednesday, saying legislation must pass that bars private companies from asking women about prior salary.
The move would enshrine one of the governor’s first executive directives that stops state departments from asking about pay history at private businesses. It’s a measure that is meant to help address the Michigan pay gap of 22 cents between men and women, the governor’s office has said.
On Wednesday, Democratic state senators and representatives introduced a package of 12 bills in both chambers meant to help close the gender pay gap.
One bill sponsor, state Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), said her Senate Bill 330 would allow employees to request from their employer wage information from “similarly situated employees” to find out if they’re being underpaid.
“When women earn less than male counterparts for doing the same work, whole households, communities and our entire state lose,” Geiss said in a statement. “Wage discrimination is an outdated and irresponsible practice of systemic inequity for women and especially women of color.”
https://www.michiganadvance.com/2019/05/22/whitmer-lends-support-to-equal-pay-legislation/