Sen. Jehlen Co-Hosts Equal Pay Day Event at State House

The following is an announcement from State Senator Patricia Jehlen (D-Somerville, Medford):

Senator Patricia D. Jehlen (D-Somerville) recently hosted an event at the State House with Representative Alice K. Wolf (D-Middlesex) to celebrate Equal Pay Day. Former Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Murphy was the featured speaker.

The event promoted the Comparable Work bill, which defines comparable work as “solely based on whether the two positions entail comparable skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions between employees of the opposite sex.” In Massachusetts women are paid 78 cents for every dollar men are compensated. This gap widens to 58 cents for Latinas and 68 cents for African American women.

Former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Murphy, the state’s first female Lt. Governor, gave the keynote address at the event. She discussed the Comparable Work bill and its critical impact on the economy and closing the wage gap.

“Instead of saying, ‘Another day, another dollar,’ women have to say, ‘Another day, another 78 cents,’” said Rep. Wolf. “Our communities and our economy suffer when half the workforce is bringing home less than it deserves.”

The bill was filed to clarify what “comparable work” means, following a Supreme Judicial Court decision which interpreted the state’s 1945 law very narrowly. It will particularly address situations where female-dominated job categories are paid far less than male-dominated ones, despite parallel skill, effort, responsibilities and working conditions.

“Equal pay for equal work is only fair,” said Sen. Jehlen.