Advancing The Gender Fair Pay Movement
by Betty Yee
On January 29, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 into law, which revises the statute of limitations within which women may file suit for being paid unfairly. For those who believe the Act will have a chilling effect on employers hiring women, watch out!
Betty Yee is the Chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization
On January 29, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 into law, which revises the statute of limitations within which women may file suit for being paid unfairly. For those who believe the Act will have a chilling effect on employers hiring women, watch out!
- Flexing political muscle for women. The San Francisco (SF) Democratic County Central Committee’s support of a comparable worth resolution this June led to the SF Board of Supervisors Budget Committee reinstating $500,000 to restore 88 certified nursing assistants --- a field dominated by lower-income women and persons of color --- at SF General Hospital who had been demoted to lower job classifications.
- Growing the economy with women. Women are making their voices heard in encouraging our brothers and sisters in labor to increase the numbers of women in the trades, with pre-apprenticeship and other support for these women --- as one of the goals of some of the federal stimulus funds is to reduce the under-representation of women and persons of color in construction.
- Showing the way for the private sector. Government is taking the lead to guide private sector entities in embracing gender equality principles to build more productive workplaces for both women and men. Check out the SF Gender Equality Principles Initiative ---(http://www.sfgov.org/site/dosw_page.asp?id=84665) --- a partnership led by the SF Department on the Status of Women.
- Doing it themselves: women owning and operating businesses. Home to over 1 million women-owned businesses, California continues to grow its number of women entrepreneurs --- spanning from high-tech companies to retail establishments. As these businesses thrive, women entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers are supporting other women and creating advancement opportunities for them.
- Electing pro-woman candidates. Political constituencies are working to elect pro-woman candidates and keep their feet to the fire with pressing regulators and others to enforce our laws and capture opportunities and advance ideas to attain true gender equality and justice. No longer is it sufficient for candidates to be pro-choice, but they also must be pro-equality and pro-opportunity for all!
Betty Yee is the Chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization
