HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2020.09.03 - 33626MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #20346
BY: Commissioners Penny Luebs, District #16; Nancy Quarles, District #17; Angela Powell, District #10;
Marcia Gershenson; District #13; Gwen Markham, District #9; Helaine Zack, District #18
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – URGING THE U.S. SENATE TO TAKE ACTION ON THE
PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS on March 27, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 7 - Paycheck Fairness
Act, an act designed to amend and strengthen the existing federal Equal Pay Act (EPA), 29 U.S.C. § 206(d); and
WHEREAS under current federal law, it is illegal to pay women less than men for equal work, and yet, the gender
wage gap still exists and the persistent lack of equal pay is one piece of the puzzle; and
WHEREAS it is an issue that impacts women at all levels, in all types of jobs, across race, ethnicity, and other
factors; and
WHEREAS according to the 2020 Center for American Progress' one-year analysis, women working full-time in
the United States collectively earned an estimated $546.3 billion less than their male counterparts in the one year
since the House passed the comprehensive equal pay legislation; and
WHEREAS the same analysis found that, on an individual level and in that same one-year period, a full-time
working woman earned about $9,585 less than a man on average; and
WHEREAS furthermore, when broken down by race and ethnicity, the earnings gap was larger for most women
of color when compared with white men; and
WHEREAS in the same one-year analysis of full-time workers, on average, black women earned about
$17,344.36 less than white men, and Latinas earned about $20,483.36 less; and
WHEREAS these numbers are a reminder that while the gender wage gap is often talked about in terms of cents
on the dollar, the cumulative impact over time is much larger than a few cents; and
WHEREAS while these earnings gaps may not be visible on the surface, they both represent and add to economic
burdens facing women and their families; and
WHEREAS without action, these earnings gaps are not projected to close anytime soon. At the current pace of
change, women overall are not estimated to reach pay parity with men overall until 2059; and
WHEREAS moreover, black women and Latinas are not estimated to reach pay parity with white men until 2130
and 2224, respectively; and
WHEREAS despite the progress made by the landmark Equal Pay Act of 1963 and other civil rights legislation,
the gender wage gap between women and men persists; and
WHEREAS some opponents point to these existing equal pay laws—effectively ignoring the wage gap and other
ongoing economic challenges that confront many working women on a daily basis—and claim that nothing else
is needed; and
WHEREAS the Paycheck Fairness Act is legislation that could begin to chip away at the persistent gender wage
gap—particularly the factors that are caused or affected by discrimination; and
WHEREAS in the absence of meaningful action, with each passing day, women are being shortchanged and
harmed by the lack of access to equal pay.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby urges
the U.S. Senate to take action on H.R. 7 - Paycheck Fairness Act.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that working women and their families cannot afford to wait for pay parity,
especially when there is an effective, comprehensive bill that could begin to close the gender wage gap waiting
for Senate action.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of the adopted resolution to the U.S. Senate Majority and Minority Leaders and the members of the
Michigan Senate delegation.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Commissi n r Penny Luebs Commissioner rcla Gershenson
District #16 District #13
CommissionerngA ela Powell
Di�qstrict#10
Commissioner Gwen Markham
District #9
Com ission Nancy Quarles
District #17
Commissioner
He�ne ack
District #18
Resolution #20346
August 20, 2020
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the Health, Safety and Human Services Committee. There were
no objections.
Resolution #20346 September 3, 2020
Moved by Luebs seconded by Nelson the resolution be adopted.
Discussion followed.
Moved by Kochenderfer seconded by Spisz to amend the resolution as follows:
Insert the following language to the NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby
urges the U.S. Senate to take action on H.R. 7 — Paycheck Fairness Act, provided that Congress
ensures the legislation does not hinder the employment opportunities of women.
Vote on amendment:
AYES: Kochenderfer, Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs, McGillivray, Middleton, Miller, Nelson, Powell,
Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson. (19)
NAYS: Markham, Quarles. (2)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the amendment carried.
Discussion followed.
Vote on resolution, as amended:
AYES: Kowall, Kuhn, Long, Luebs, Markham, McGillivray, Middleton, Miller, Nelson, Powell,
Quarles, Spisz, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Gershenson, Gingell, Hoffman, Jackson,
Kochenderfer. (21)
NAYS: None. (0)
A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolution, as amended, was adopted.
I HEREBY APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION
CHIEF DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
ACTING PURSUANT TO MCL 45.559A (7)
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on September 3,
2020, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan this 3r' day of September, 2020.
Lisa Brown, Oakland County