Title
Supporting the Women's Economic Security Act and local efforts to build a stronger economic future for women and working families in Saint Paul.
Body
WHEREAS, women have entered the workforce in record numbers over the past 50 years; and
WHEREAS, despite the enactment of the federal Equal Pay Act in 1963 women continue to earn less than men for equal work; and
WHEREAS, women in Minnesota represent 50% of Minnesota's workforce and earn eighty cents for every dollar a man makes; and,
WHEREAS, many women do not know they are being compensated less than their counterparts for equal work and are not likely to bring forth the issue; and
WHEREAS, the pay disparities continue to hurt working families who rely on the wages of all members of the family to make ends meet, undermine women's retirement safety and security, and prevent the optimum utilization of available labor resources; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota State Legislature passed the Women's Economic Security Act ('WESA') and Governor, Mark Dayton, signed the bill into law on May 11, 2014 to close the gender gap in the workplace; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council supports the following WESA's policies and efforts to increase the economic security of women and families by
• Closing the gender pay gap;
• Increasing income for working women and their families;
• Protecting caregivers and pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace;
• Enhancing protections for victims of domestic violence through employment and housing protections;
• Providing incentives to move more women into nontraditional, high wage jobs;
• Supporting women-owned small business development in traditionally male dominated fields;
• Supporting programs that assist older women's economic security with retirement savings plans and protecting caregivers from financial hardship; and
WHEREAS, elimination of the pay disparities would have positive impacts, including, a strong economy,...
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