It's Baaack: Paycheck Fairness Act Returns to Capitol Hill

The Paycheck Fairness Act is back on the table at Capitol Hill.  The Senate Committee on health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on March 11 titled: A Fair Share For All: Pay Equity in the New American Workplace. 

The Act could have far-reaching implications for the design and management of pay programs, so it behooves us to pay attention, as tired as many of us are of watching Washington these days.

A few good summaries of the current state of the Act can be found at John Phillips' Employment Law blog (via Jon Hyman) and Workforce Management. 

Some of my own thoughts and concerns about the bill when it first came forward more than a year ago can be found in the following posts (and you will note from the comments that there are those who think my concerns are on target and those who clearly disagree):

Pay Legislation Leaps to the Top of the House Agenda (Interview with WorldatWork's Cara Welch)

On Comparable Worth, Pay Equity and the Paycheck Fairness Act

Summary thoughts on the Paycheck Fairness Act

More to come, I'm certain...

Comments

[Andy Klemm]

Ann:

In reading through all of the commentary in this and previous posts, the phrase "equal pay" is consistently used versus, say, "pay opportunity" as might be represented by a traditional description of a "salary range" for a job. It would seem to me logical that the notion of a salary range would have to go away in the name of simplicity; otherwise, a multiplier of complexity remains and has not been discussed in considering the issues.

Alas, with the current status of government versus the people and private enterprise, I fear we are facing the scorpion offering us a trip across the river where the promise of no biting will be broken because that is what they do. We are, after, all wrestling with an entity that is comfortable with such concepts as a "rebuttable presumption of reasonableness."

Thanks for a thorough discussion demonstrating all this is no more clear or settled than in the early 1980's.

Andy

[Ann Bares]

Andy:

Thanks for weighing in. In most of the equal pay cases I'm familiar with, the concept of a salary grade/range wasn't challenged. But your point is an interesting (scary?) one. And I appreciate your last comment - this issue definitely remains on the table and will or must - at one point or another - be addressed. It concerns me that our profession seems to be paying little attention. Perhaps, since the issue has been with us for decades, we are all just weary of the conversation.