LANSING – In a move to protect fair wages for all Michigan workers, State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) today announced a plan to crack down on wage discrimination and hold employers accountable when they do not provide equal pay for equal work.
"This is more than just a women's issue – it's a family issue," Dean said. "In dual-income households, pay equity means more money to pay for groceries, mortgages and other necessities. Ensuring that Michigan has equal pay for equal work is the right thing to do for our working families."
Michigan ranks 49th in the nation for the wage parity between men and women, according to the Michigan Pay Equity Network. Working women in Michigan are paid 67 cents for every dollar men make – a 33-percent pay gap. This puts Michigan far behind the national gender pay gap of 77 cents per dollar.
The Democratic plan sets down penalties for wage discrimination and creates legal avenues to pursue those who deprive workers of their right to equal pay for equal work. Specifically, the plan will:
- Make failure to provide equal compensation for equal work a violation of the state's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
- Make gender-based pay discrimination a misdemeanor. Employers could face fines up to $500 or up to 90 days in jail for not complying.
- Create a Commission on Pay Equity in the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, comprising state leaders and community and business representatives.
- Create penalties of up to $50,000 for repeat offenders.
Unequal pay costs an average family more than $4,000 a year – which means that America's working families lose $2 billion annually.