Requires all employers to provide paid sick leave to employees

1 Co-sponsor

• Ruth Hassell-Thompson

BILL NUMBER:S1490

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to retaliatory personnel actions by employers

Summary of specific provisions

Section one of the bill specifies that the legislation is to be known as the "Wage and Transparency Act".

Section two adds three new sections to the labor law.

§ 742 makes it unlawful for employers to take retaliatory action against employees who discuss their salary or inquire about the wages of another employee.

§ 743 provides for remedies and enforcement of violations of the article.

§ 744 authorizes the department of labor to prescribe regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this legislation.

Section three of the bill replaces the previous remedies and enforcement section.

Section four clarifies that no portion of this legislation shall supersede federal law.

Section five is a severability clause.

Section six sets the effective date at ninety days after it becomes law.

Justification

Present law does not adequately address the issue of pay equity, and the need for state enforcement of a prohibition on such inequities. This bill ensures that employees who discuss their wages or inquire about the wages of other employees shall not be subjected to retaliatory action.

This is an important step forward for the rights of women, people of color, immigrants and others in the workplace who should not feel afraid to simply raise the question of whether an inequality in pay exists. The right to inquire about the possibility of pay inequity is a small step forward in ensuring that all members of the workforce are paid equally for equal work, regardless of gender, ethnicity, immigrant status ox any other personal characteristic.

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None.

Effective date

On the ninetieth day after it shall have become law.