IN THIS EDITION
Ensuring Equal Pay for Equal Work
Committee Updates
Reflecting on Memorial Day
Other News and Notes
Ensuring Equal Pay for Equal Work
When we fail to ensure that equal work gets equal pay, regardless of gender or identity, we not only shortchange women, we hinder our own economy.
According to a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, our nation’s economy could benefit from $447.6 billion if equal pay for equal work was the law. What’s more, new research recently found that when women get paid less, average wages for that occupation gradually decrease, even for men.
Not only would closing the gender pay gap mean women receive the spending power they deserve, but it would also boost our economy and create new revenue to help solve some of our greatest issues as a state and nation.
I’m also fighting for greater transparency to empower all workers. That’s why I was proud to put forward Senate Bill 334 last week. SB 334 would require a written job description be made available for each position, and it would require that the description be initialed or acknowledged by the employee should it change. As an employee, you should know what’s expected out of you in your role. If you’re taking on more than what’s in the description, you should feel confident and informed to ask for that raise.
The bill, which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Government Operations, would improve the transparency of employer operations and expectations and, in turn, assure employees that they are protected in their jobs.
Committee Updates
Senate Energy and Technology Committee
The Senate Energy and Technology Committee recently heard a presentation on clean energy solutions from Laura Sherman, Ph.D., president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (EIBC).
Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee
The Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 306, sponsored by Sen. Peter MacGregor. The bill would expand state law on special tax assessable properties in shopping or business improvement districts to allow local governments to include residential properties as part of these zones.
Reflecting on Memorial Day
Too often, we forget the purpose of this holiday weekend: to remember and thank those who laid down their lives in service to the United States.
Whether you attended a parade, hung an American flag or paused for a moment to think on the sacrifices many have made to protect our nation, we hope you had a reflective Memorial Day.
Last week, our team was pleased to partake in the Senate’s annual Memorial Day ceremony. This event paid respect to military service members and their families. I was proud to host veterans Tom Bustance, Dale Goodcourage and Bill “Ike” Isenhour of the Berkley American Legion Post 374.
Yesterday morning, Team McMorrow paid tribute to the military members we’ve lost by volunteering at the Royal Oak Memorial Day Parade as well as the Greater Rochester Area Memorial Day Parade and Flag Ceremony.
Other News and Notes
1. Saturday, May 11: Dropped by Rochester Community School Foundation’s Hometown Hustle 5K and caught up with Dr. Shaner, superintendent of Rochester Schools.
2. Monday, May 13: Toured the Fiat Chrysler Jefferson North Assembly Plant with the Michigan Legislative Auto Caucus and met with industry leaders to discuss the future of mobility in Michigan.
3. Tuesday, May 14: Met with local restaurant owners and members of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association to talk about issues impacting the service industry.
4. Monday, May 20: Attended the Senior Services Summit hosted by Rep. Robert Wittenberg at Berkley High School with Attorney General Dana Nessel. You can learn more and find a recap of the summit on my website.
5. Tuesday, May 21: Met with constituents and members of the National Council of Jewish Women to hear their thoughts on issues impacting women and families in Michigan.
6. Wednesday, May 22: Dropped by for lunch with members of the Oakland County Chapter of Credit Unions
I also joined my colleagues for a tour of the Delta Solar Plant, located in Delta Township near Lansing, to talk about clean energy solutions. Something very cool we got to see firsthand: this solar array panel system is equipped with actuators that utilize GPS data to slowly rotate the panels to follow the sun throughout the day, maximizing energy capture.
