State Rep. Tina Davis recently stood alongside Gov. Tom Wolf as he signed an executive order in the Capitol to address gender pay inequities within the state
By Tom Waring
The Times
State Rep. Tina Davis recently stood alongside Gov. Tom Wolf as he signed an executive order in the Capitol to address gender pay inequities within the state.
“Women continue to make enormous strides in the workplace but are stalled when it comes to their pay,” Davis said. “The statistics are staggering when we hear how women in advanced degrees, women in entry-level positions, and women of color all face a pay gap that negatively impacts their ability to sufficiently provide for themselves and their families.”
The executive order includes the following declarations to take effect within 90 days: State agencies would not inquire about a job applicant’s current compensation or compensation history at any stage during the hiring process; compensation decisions for positions would be governed primarily by job responsibilities and the position’s range of compensation as well as the applicant’s knowledge, skills, competencies, experience and compensation requests, not gender; all state position postings would clearly disclose a job position’s pay scale and pay range.
Wolf further recognized Davis’ efforts advocating for H.B. 1243, which would enhance Pennsylvania’s Equal Pay Law to provide additional protections for all employees. Those protections would include the assurance that all workers, regardless of gender, across the state would be paid a wage based solely on their education, training and experience. Under this legislation, employee protection would be increased specifically in the areas of discrimination, wrongful termination of employment and anti-retaliation when an employee has filed a complaint against an employer.
“It is past time to level the playing field and provide the same opportunities for all employees — no matter their gender,” Davis said.
Davis, a Democrat, is running for re-election and is challenging Republican Sen. Tommy Tomlinson. ••
