New Jersey Senate bill S-992 seeks to address the very limited relief that is available and the difficulties in obtaining information that would allow a victim of discrimination in pay to be able to recover wages that she/he would have been paid, but for the discrimination.
The legislation is necessary because despite the fact that discrimination in pay has been against the law since 1963, and in 2009 the Lily Ledbetter Act was signed, those laws have not eliminated the disparity in pay which continues to hold women in the workforce back in terms of economic fairness, equality of opportunity and economic power.
Women currently receive, on average, 20 percent less pay than men in New Jersey. That percentage difference is more for women of color and for Hispanic women. At the rate of change we are currently experiencing with regard to gender pay gap, women will not have the same median wage as men until 2058. The necessity of further legislative effort to achieve economic parity is evident, as women are increasingly a primary source of economic support for their households.
The New Jersey Equal Pay Act had passed both houses of the state Legislature by March 2016, however, the legislation, as passed, was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie in May 2016.
The governor in his veto statement indicated that he felt the proposed state law should be revised because it was not consistent with the federal legislation. This is true, but not a legitimate basis for vetoing the legislation; there would be no point for new legislation on any subject, ever, if it simply contained the same provisions as were already in the law.
Rather, it was a point made to disguise the fact that despite claiming to be in favor of equal pay as a principle, the governor was not in favor of taking meaningful steps beyond the existing inadequate laws to move the ball forward toward actual economic parity.
Unfortunately, state Sen. Robert Singer, who represents Howell in the Legislature, took a strong cue from the governor. When the bill came up for an override of the governor’s veto in January, Sen. Singer changed his vote and voted against the same bill he had previously voted in favor of. The bill was expected to be voted on in the next legislative voting session which started on March 13.
I have approached the members of the Howell Township Council to request passing a resolution encouraging Sen. Singer to support one-half of his constituents and support the New Jersey Equal Pay Act. I have been told the council is considering putting such a resolution on its agenda.
It appears Sen. Singer would benefit from receiving direction from his constituents, since he has already voted both ways on this legislation. I ask that the Howell Township Council provide a forum to discuss the legislation and a proposed resolution of support. I encourage anyone who may be interested in this issue to attend the council’s March 21 meeting.
Joan Howell Osborne
Howell
