Bill could reveal any disparities in employee pay

March 14 is Equal Pay Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. But how much of a gender pay gap is there? Proposed legislation could answer that question.

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- March 14 marks Equal Pay Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. But how much of a gender pay gap is there? Proposed legislation could answer that question. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal is sponsoring legislation that would require companies that do business with the state to disclose any pay gaps that may exist. "So that New Yorkers can see if their tax dollars dollars are going to companies with disparities in employee pay not just by gender by race or ethnicity as well," he said.

The bill was passed in both houses last year but then vetoed by the Governor. Some people have said the gender pay gap has been disproven, "Well, if the pay gaps do exist we need to eradicate them and that’s part of what our legislation would do, I think most social scientist would confirm the fact that pay gap’s exist, there are statewide national organizations that focus on this issue," said Senator Hoylman-Sigel.

A study by Pew Research Center shows that in 2022 women ages 25 to 34 earned an average of 92 cents for every dollar earned by men in the same age group. An eight cent gap. But that study did not denote if those surveyed worked the same jobs. It did measure the difference in median and hourly earnings between men and women who work full or part time. That survey was conducted online among 5000 adults. 

Ron Deutsch, Director of New Yorkers, for fiscal fairness, says fields that are dominated by women traditionally pay lower wages, "We’ve been fighting in New York for additional funds for child care workers, for home care workers, for human service workers. And these are some of the most important jobs we have in society." He says they’re so important they deserve to be compensated fairly, "And these fields pay wages that are significantly less than other positions in our state, and we need to do a better job of making sure that those positions pay more because of the importance of that work."