Women work just as hard as our counterparts to advance our careers and support our families, and we deserve to be compensated equally.”

Rep. Susan Donovan

The Fair Employment Practices Act, of which Rep. Susan R. Donovan was both principal House sponsor and one of the chief architects, was recently passed with the broadest possible support in the House of Representatives. The legislation intends to address the fact that women in Rhode Island make on average 84.8 cents for every dollar earned by a man. Nationally, that figure is 82 cents, based on data from the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC.org).

More broadly, the bill would address discrimination not only on the basis of gender, but also according to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, and country of origin. It expands employee protections and the scope of the remedies available to employees who have experienced such discrimination. Businesses would have 18 months to get up to speed.

The bill:

• • Provides that, if an employer violates the law, employees may be eligible to collect back pay, unpaid wages, and damages;
• • Allows a job applicant, employee, or former employee to seek relief from an employer’s unlawful pay practices at the Department of Labor and Training or in court;
• • Requires more transparency from employers with regard to wage ranges and protects applicants and employees from potentially damaging wage history information;
• • Protects “good employers” who are proactive and conduct a wage audit in order to fix any unlawful pay practices.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi was an enthusiastic supporter. “This is the most proud vote I have taken since I have been here,” he said. “I congratulate Representative Donovan, who has steadfastly introduced this legislation for each of the past four years and has never given up. She is a true champion for women’s issues and has kept pay equity at the forefront of the House’s agenda.”

For Rep. Donovan, the issue was personally significant. “I have experienced first-hand what it’s like to be paid unequally when you are doing comparable work,” she said. “It’s a devastating blow both emotionally and financially … Women work just as hard as our counterparts to advance our careers and support our families, and we deserve to be compensated equally.”

“This bill has been my priority since my first term in the legislature, and I am thrilled to see it pass the House.”

The companion bill (S0270) passed the Senate on July 6 and was signed the same day.