THE PRINT EDITION
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
VOLUME XVIII - ISSUE 30
Collins Votes for Equal Pay State Rep. Nick Collins joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives in passing legislation to ensure that men and women receive equitable compensation for comparable work. The bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in the payment of wages for comparable work unless the variation is based upon a mitigating factor including seniority (provided that paternal, family, and medical leave don’t reduce seniority); a system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production, sales, or revenue; education, training or experience. “I am proud to have been a part of this landmark legislation” said Representative Collins. “There is no reason why my any woman should be paid less for equal work. It is about time we set clear guidelines for
comparable work, and do away with the gender wage gap so that Massachusetts can remain an economic leader, as well as a leader in equality.” Notably, the bill would prevents employers from requesting salary history in hiring, a measure designed to end the self-perpetuating cycle of wage disparity. Massachusetts would be the first state in the nation to adopt such a provision. However, prospective employees would not be barred from voluntarily disclosing their past salaries. In drafting this bill, the House of Representatives focused on building consensus to ensure that the legislation would be workable, effective and sustainable. Key to those efforts were defining “comparable work” and maintaining flexibility for performance-based compensation.
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Farmers Market Mid-Summer Perkins Square Every Monday 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Naturally, one associates South Boston’s Farmers Market with produce picked that morning, farm fresh eggs, and corn on the cob. But think of their other offerings too. Bee made honey from wildflowers and blueberry blossoms, and a variety of fresh baked goods are coming to the fore. It’s about more than this summer veggies, as good as they are. Take your time and shop every Monday! The bill incentivizes companies to correct compensation disparities internally before going to court by creating three-year affirmative defense from liability. Within that time period
employers must complete a selfevaluation of its pay practices and demonstrate reasonable progress in eliminating pay disparities. The legislation will take effect of July 1, 2018.
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