COLORADO- Tuesday marks “Equal Pay Day,” a day to bring awareness to pay differences between men and women across the United States.
In Colorado, on average women make 15 percent less than their male counterparts- according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“I think that women are demanding that it’s time that we move forward on concrete policies that are going to make change and close the pay gap,” said Sen. Jessie Danielson (D- Jefferson County).
“Equal Pay Day” has a symbolic meaning- women must work through April 2nd to make what a man made at the end of 2018.
Lawmakers are now looking at a bill to address the wage gap between working men and women in Colorado.
The “Equal Pay Act” adds requirements for employers when it comes to job postings, but is also allows employees to take employers to court over pay inequality.
Some of the requirements for employers include posting a range for pay in job postings, and making sure every job is posted.
“It does away with the sort of insider, hand-picked successor,” said Sen. Danielson.
As the bill is written, it would allow employees to take employers to court and in some cases, be eligible for up to three years of back pay.
So far, no Republican lawmakers have come out in support of the bill.
On the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Senators passed a resolution to recognized “Equal Pay Day”- three Republican lawmakers voting against it.
One Senator, Vicki Marble (R- Fort Collins) spoke out against the resolution saying, “I’m not sure I agree with all the numbers,” adding “I just can’t take part in something that is so focused against a white man, because frankly i feel white men have done a lot for this country, and for this legislature, as all men have.”
