2009 Senate Bill 487

Mandate “comparable worth” wages

Introduced in the Senate

April 29, 2009

Introduced by Sen. Liz Brater (D-18)

To prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed definition of comparable worth, making doing so a violation of the civil rights laws of the state, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work would be compared with regard to these various criteria.

Referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism