April 12, 2016 03:20 PM UTC

Colorado Democrats Call For Action on Equal Pay Day

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• by: Colorado Pols

The following is an opinion co-authored by five Democratic lawmakers, Reps. Janet Buckner, Jessie Danielson, Brittany Pettersen, Joe Salazar and Faith Winter, on the occasion of National Equal Pay Day. Reprinted in its entirety.

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The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was the first federal legislation to address the gap between what women and men are paid for doing equal work. That was a good first step. But today in Colorado, women are paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, and the pay gap still exists across the country.

Inadequate solutions within the federal law have allowed the gap to persist, and it is closing so slowly that at the current rate women won’t earn equal pay for equal work until 2057. That means a first grader would be 51 by the time she can hope to earn her rightful paycheck.

We can’t wait four decades. We can’t continue to tell our daughters they can be anything they want to be but they will have to work harder and longer hours than their brothers to earn the same income.

Some of the factors that drive this giant gap are systemic things that aren’t taken care of by a single federal law. It takes conversation, open minds, education, negotiation, new ideas, advocacy, and targeted legislation to create real change.

Any woman who has overheard a male coworker discuss his wages to find out that she, with a higher level of education and additional years of experience, makes less than him knows that it doesn’t take one piece of legislation to solve her problem.

That’s why we in the House Democratic Caucus have sponsored several pieces of legislation, all with one goal: to get Colorado closer to the day when every individual earns what he or she deserves, regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation.

The first bill introduced in the House this legislative session, the Equal Pay in State Contracts Act, would have required that any company that conducts business with the state pay their employees fairly. We believe the state should lead by example to end this injustice. This bill passed the House but was killed in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Another bill, Fair Pay from the Start, would have prohibited employers from asking a job candidate’s salary history unless the employer posted the salary range along with the job description. This bill opens doors for women, millennials and people of color to start salary negotiations on the basis of qualifications and skills, not prior wage discrimination. The perpetuation of wage discrimination leads to a lifetime of lost income and costs women and our economy millions. This bill was also killed in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

Another bill, the Pay Transparency Protection Act, extends wage transparency protection to all employees in Colorado who wish to discuss wages with their coworkers. One way for employees to determine if they are being paid fairly is by talking to each other. This bill protects employees, upholds the right to free speech, and improves employee morale. This bill passed the Senate State Affairs Committee yesterday and will next be considered by the full Senate.

Our fourth equal pay bill takes a different approach: rewarding Colorado businesses that do right by their employees, not just with fair wages but having family-friendly policies. The Colorado Family First Act would create a program to recognize and certify employers that pay equal pay for equal work; give all employees equal opportunity for promotion to leadership positions; provide child care facilities or services to employees; provide paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, for the medical care of the employee and, if possible, for medical care of a family member; and provide flexible work arrangements to accommodate important family obligations for all employees.

Coloradans should have the opportunity to support businesses that support families, and job-seekers should have the chance to know whether a potential employer treats its employees well.

Equal pay isn’t just good for women, it’s good for families. It’s good for Colorado. That’s why we have joined forces to tackle this problem head on.