Assemblymember Pamela J. Hunter (D-Syracuse) announced the passage of a series of bills addressing and prohibiting pay discrimination. The centerpiece of the legislative package, the New York State Fair Pay Act, which she co-sponsored, makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against employees by using sex, race or national origin to determine pay (A.6937). The bills were passed in conjunction with a resolution proclaiming April 12 as “Equal Pay Day” in New York State.

“In the year 2016, it is completely unacceptable that anyone would be paid less merely because of their gender or race,” said Hunter. “It’s important that a woman doing the same job as a man is paid the same wage.”

Equal Pay Day symbolizes the date at which the wages paid to American women match the wages paid to men the previous year.¹ Nationally, women earn 79 cents for every dollar men make. The disparity is even greater for women of color. African-American women make 64 cents and Latina women make 54 cents for every dollar earned by white men.²,³

The New York State Fair Pay Act is notable because not only does it protect employees from wage discrimination for equal work, it also ensures that jobs that are traditionally occupied by women and people of color are not undervalued. It broadens existing protections that don’t go far enough in preventing wage discrimination, noted Hunter.

“This is a major step in recognizing the barriers that women still face on a daily basis,” said Hunter. “This equal pay legislation will ultimately benefit countless working families across New York State, increasing fairness and opportunity.”

The legislative package also includes bills to implement a state policy of wage equality for state and municipal employees and direct the Civil Service Commission to address disparities (A.437-A, A.5008). Other bills require the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Labor compile data on referrals for job training that lead to higher-paying jobs as well as protect employees’ right to sue for compensation in cases of wage discrimination (A.9755, A.9754).

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