California Gender Pay Ratio Bill Underscores Importance of Engagement at State and Local Levels

Inclusion and Diversity

This week, the California State Assembly, by a vote of 48 to 19, passed a bill requiring companies with 250 or more employees to post on a public website the difference between the mean and median salaries of male and female professional employees by job classification and title. The measure, which would apply to companies already required to register with the California Secretary of State, is similar to a new law recently enacted in the UK.  The bill now goes to the Senate and would take effect July 1, 2020, if enacted.  Governor Jerry Brown (D) has not yet taken a position on the proposal.  The measure is only the most recent example of activists pursuing legislative action in state capitals and city halls on issues they are unable to address at the federal level.  That's why HR Policy Association has established a State and Local Activities Committee under the leadership of Teri Plummer McClure, Chief Human Resources Officer at United Parcel Service, Inc. Government relations reps and others from member companies met Friday to identify the priority issues and set a road map to evaluate and act upon legislative activity occurring below the federal level. Supplementing the committee's efforts, HR Policy has partnered with Littler's Workplace Policy Institute, which will include featuring its "State of the States" newsletter in "This Week in HR Policy."