Rep. Carney Votes Yes on Pay Equity Legislation
On Wednesday, April 19, 2018, State Representative Devin Carney (R-23), voted in favor of H.B. 5386, An Act Concerning Pay Equity and Fairness.
The bill aims to strengthen labor protections for employees in an effort to discourage gender wage discrimination in Connecticut. The bill would prohibit employees from asking about a prospective employee’s wage history, unless the prospective employee voluntarily discloses the information or the employer is authorized by law to ask.
In Connecticut, the average woman will make $529,000 less in earning over her lifetime than a male and it is estimated that women in Connecticut lose a combined $5.5 billion due to the wage gap.
“There is no justifiable reason why women receive less pay for the same work,” said Rep. Carney. “This proposal aims to eliminate discriminatory hiring practices that still exist and instead seeks to create an equal playing field within the 20th century workforce. I am hopeful that this proposal will pass out of the Senate chamber as well.”
Although the law makes changes to the hiring process, the Connecticut Business & Industry Association helped the lawmakers reach the compromise and supports the measure.
H.B. 5386, as amended by LCO 3879, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 142-4-4. After its passage in the House, H.B. 5386 now heads to the State Senate for consideration.
Anyone with questions, ideas or concerns about state-related issues can contact Representative Carney’s office at Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov or 860-240-8700.