This is an issue we need to stay on top of.  Felicia: could you please put 
some background together for everyone on the list?
----- Forwarded by Steven J Kean/NA/Enron on 03/09/2001 01:00 PM -----

	Felecia Acevedo
	03/08/2001 10:27 AM
		 
		 To: Steven J Kean/NA/Enron@Enron
		 cc: 
		 Subject: Comparable Worth Legislation

Steve,

Do you think your Gov't Affairs group could do some investigation for us on 
what the states are doing concerning strengthening the current equal pay 
laws?  Also, the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.77) was introduced in the U.S. 
Senate on January 22, 2001 and referred to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.  (Sponsors Mr. Daschle, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Wellstone, Ms. Landrieu, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Akaka, 
Mr. Breaux, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Leahy, Mr. 
Reid, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Johnson.  Added after the bill was 
introduced.....Mr. Torricelli, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Dodd, Mrs. 
Clinton, Mr. Feingold).  It appears that this proposed act has some reporting 
requirements that could be very burdensome for us--it would probably make us 
have to re-think how we have our compensation system structured.  Could 
someone in your group get a feel for what is happening with this in 
Washington and what kind of support it is getting?  

Thanks!


The below was published in SHRM,s HRVoice - MARCH  2001 INSIDER

Campaign To Enact Comparable Worth Legislation Launched In 12 States; 
Numerous Others Introducing Legislation

On February 7, a number of state legislators, labor organizations, and policy 
advocates launched a campaign to promote state legislation that would 
strengthen current equal pay laws and encourage comparable worth pay systems. 
   Although 12 states have been explicitly identified as targets for the 
passage of such  legislation, a number of other states have already 
introduced bills to further address wage discrimination. 

Proponents of the campaign maintain that current national and state laws that 
mandate equal pay for equal work do not go far enough to remedy past and 
current discrimination in compensation.  Therefore, they claim government 
intervention is necessary to raise women's or minorities' wages and eliminate 
gender and race-based wage discrimination. 

State legislators are considering varying proposals to remedy wage 
disparities, including: commissioning pay equity studies, increasing 
penalties for violations of current equal pay laws, or implementing mandated 
job evaluation and comparison (comparable worth) pay systems to raise wages 
for jobs that are traditionally dominated by women or minorities. 

The following states have been identified as targets of this legislation.  
For those states that have already seen legislation introduced, the bill 
numbers are also included: 

Alabama
Arizona (Senate Bill 1266)
Colorado (SB 41),
Connecticut
Georgia (SR 147)
Massachusetts (HB 2110)
New Mexico
Nevada
Ohio
Texas (HB 95) *House Bill 95 provides an employee who files a wage claim with 
legal protection from retaliation. 
 Wisconsin
 West Virginia

Other states not included in the campaign are also seeking wage 
discrimination legislation: 

Indiana (HB 1438) 
Iowa (HB 221, HB 226) 
Minnesota (HB 666, SB 638)  
Missouri (HB 115) 
Mississippi (HB 176, SB 2632-both died) 
New York (AB 3594, SB 2190-public sector employees affected only) 
Pennsylvania (HB 140) 
Rhode Island (SB 171) 
Wyoming (HB 239-passed Senate Feb. 29) 

For more information please visit the "Equal Pay" fact sheet at 
http://www.shrm.org/government/factsheets/default.asp?page=fact-0101equalpay.a
sp