Marilyn Moore

Moore Applauds Governor’s Signing of Pay Equity Law

Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) applauded the governor for signing into law of a bipartisan bill concerning gender pay equity.

Under Public Act No. 18-8, employers in Connecticut are prohibited from asking prospective employees about their previous wages, as evidence shows women disproportionately carry lower salaries from one job to the next.

“This bill ensures that all women of all races are not discriminated against when negotiating her salary and will help boost the state’s economy by putting more money into the pockets of women our workforce,” Sen. Moore said. “This will be especially helpful to black and Latina women in my district who earn 59 cents and 48 cents, respectively, for every dollar that a white man earns. That means they have to work twice as many hours to earn the same as a man. I’m glad Connecticut is taking a strong stance in support of women in our workforce by passing this law.”

On average, unfair pay costs each working woman in Connecticut more than $10,000 every year. According to the National Women’s Law Center, women in Connecticut—on average—have to work until age 70 to earn what a man makes by the time he is 60. The Senate Democrats originally introduced the legislation as a cornerstone of their Democratic Values agenda in order to put Connecticut at the forefront of a national debate about the wage gap.