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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC6. Resolution 4601, Equal Pay Commission Memorandum REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission FROM: Chris Kukulski, City Manager SUBJECT: Approve Resolution 4601: Equal Pay for Equal Work - formalizing policies addressing equal pay for equal work in the City of Bozeman, including but not limited to, expanding data collection, utilizing best practices, and commemorating Equal Pay Day. MEETING DATE: June 8, 2015 AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Consent RECOMMENDATION: That the City Commission approve Commission Resolution No. 4601: Equal Pay for Equal Work, formalizing policies addressing equal pay for equal work in the City of Bozeman. BACKGROUND: On April 13, 2015, Bozeman Business and Professional Women and community members brought to the City Commission a draft resolution for Equal Pay for Equal Work. The City of Bozeman is committed to narrowing the gender wage gap within the City, in order to strengthen Montana working families and provide more earning potential and opportunities for the citizens of Bozeman. As a result, Resolution 4601 is before the City Commission for adoption. The City has a long-standing policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender. None of our union agreements or our non-represented pay plans have any provisions of pay or compensation that are based on gender. Accumulating and analyzing our current data is difficult, due to the fact that the City only recently implemented a human resources information system. Our new system does not contain historical details. Information regarding time-in-position and experience/skills credit at hire has to be researched by hand in each employment file. Upon initial review, I do not believe gender based occupation disparities exist within class specifications of the City. However, more data could be analyzed to confirm this, as well as determine if gender based pay disparities exist across similar equivalent occupations. This resolution further reinforces our policies by providing additional mechanisms to ensure the City of Bozeman is a leader in equal pay for equal work. ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission. FISCAL EFFECTS: Administrative indirect costs will be required, although there are no direct costs associated with this resolution. 131 Attachments: Resolution No. 4601 Report compiled on: June 1, 2015 132 Page 1 of 3 COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 4601 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA, ADDRESSING EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK WITHIN THE CITY OF BOZEMAN. WHEREAS, Tuesday, April 14, 2015, was National Equal Pay Day, a nationally recognized date symbolizing how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year; and WHEREAS, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law on June 10, 1963, when women were paid an average of 59 cents for every dollar men were paid; and WHEREAS, 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women continue to experience the consequences of unequal pay, with women nationally working full-time being paid an average of 71 cents to the man’s dollar; and WHEREAS, according to the Chief Economist of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, women workers earn 67 cents for every man’s dollar, putting Montana in 42nd place for gender pay equity in the U.S.; and WHEREAS, the City of Bozeman has previously demonstrated its commitment to the economic wellbeing of its citizens by adopting the “Quality Jobs and Living Wage Ordinance” in 2001; and WHEREAS, 60% of Montana women are in the labor force, making up an essential part of Montana’s economy; and WHEREAS, Montana women working full-time earn an average of $500,000 less than their male peers do over a lifetime resulting in much lower financial resources in retirement; Resolution 4601, Equal Pay for Equal Work Page 2 of 3 WHEREAS, Montana Governor Bullock established in 2013 a state level Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force appointed to research, educate, and address the gender wage gap for Montana women and men; and WHEREAS, women are underrepresented in high-paying fields and management positions; and WHEREAS, institutional and cultural barriers have been indentified that contribute to the wage gap in Montana and the country as a whole; and WHEREAS, narrowing the gender wage gap for Montana women will boost their earning potential, strengthen Montana working families, and open opportunities for a whole new generation of women in the workforce. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman, Montana: Section 1 – Recognize Women’s Contribution The City of Bozeman urges its citizens to recognize the full value of women’s skills and significant contributions to the labor force, and take further action to help close the gender wage gap. Section 2 – Eliminate Unequal Pay for Equal Work The City of Bozeman will work to eliminate unequal pay for equal work not only to benefit women financially, but also to increase economic security for their families and contribute substantially to our community and state economy. Section 3 – Data Collection The Bozeman City Commission directs the City Manager to expand data collection for City employees so as to more easily facilitate analysis of wages by gender. Data collected will be available to assess whether gender-based compensation disparities (wage gaps) exist within occupations or across equivalent occupations of the City government and to assess gender disparities in opportunities for promotions and acquiring management positions in the City government, as was accomplished by the recent Montana State Employee Pay Equity conducted by the executive branch of the State of Montana. The City Manager will update the community on the status of Gender Wage Equity in the City of Bozeman biennially. Resolution 4601, Equal Pay for Equal Work Page 3 of 3 Section 4 – Best Practices The Bozeman City Commission commits to lead by example by directing the City Manager to evaluate City human resource and employment policies and practices against the “Thrive Index” or a similarly well-researched guide to best practices. Section 5 – Equal Pay Day The City Commission commits to commemorate Equal Pay Day each year, so that citizens, businesses, and organizations in our community can be reminded and encouraged to adopt measures to identify and close the gender wage gap among their workforces. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of Bozeman, Montana, at a regular session thereof held on the 8th day of June, 2015. ___________________________________ JEFFREY K. KRAUSS Mayor ATTEST: ________________________________________ STACY ULMEN, CMC City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: ___________________________________ GREG SULLIVAN City Attorney