A Bill to Narrow Gender, Racial, and Wage Gaps Considered by Oregon Lawmakers

A new bill that will narrow gender, racial, and wage gaps had its first hearing before Oregon lawmakers on Monday.

Opponents Fear New Bill Will Add to Regulatory Restrictions

However, opponents of the bill point out that Oregon has existing pay-equity laws and believes that the new legislation will add another layer of regulatory restrictions.

If ratified, House Bill 2746 ensures that employers include information about wages when posting jobs – failure to comply would lead to escalating penalties.

A similar bill failed to get the nod two years ago.

The National Women’s Law Center, which supports the new bill, estimates that females earn $403,480 less than their male counterparts over a 40-year career span.

The organization says the gap is even larger for women of color, and its director of state policy for workplace justice, Vasu Reddy, points out that 14 states have already adopted similar legislation, including neighboring California and Washington.

Supporters of the bill say disclosing pay scales will make it difficult for businesses to discriminate and easier for prospective employees to negotiate equitable workplace compensation.

Opponents of the bill are Oregon Business and Industry and the National Federation of Independent Business.

The bill requires all companies to post pay ranges, and employers must maintain individual records of every employee.

Companies that violate the bill will receive written warnings from the Bureau of Labor and Industries. Subsequent transgressions will be liable to a fine of $1,000, at a maximum of $10,000 annually.