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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;
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Resolution 4601, Equal Pay for Equal Work
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.
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Resolution 4601, Equal Pay for Equal Work
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.
. KRAUSS
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City Cex.
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APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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GREdALLIVAN
City Attorney
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