Connecticut Senate Bill SB00068

Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/19
• Refer: 1/17/19

Caption

An Act Establishing Women's Economic Equality.

Impact

To further combat workplace inequality, the bill also includes provisions for extending sexual harassment prevention training to smaller businesses with fewer than twenty employees. Additionally, it requires that all organizations conduct this training annually. By broadening the scope of such training, the bill seeks to create safer work environments for women and reduce instances of harassment in the workplace. The bill also tackles the issue of pay equity by establishing mechanisms that assure equal pay for equal work, alongside a presumption of compliance for those employers who perform regular pay audits.

Summary

SB00068, titled 'An Act Establishing Women's Economic Equality,' aims to foster economic equality for women through several key measures. The bill mandates paid family and medical leave, ensuring that employees can take necessary time off without suffering financial setbacks. Additionally, it proposes increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2021, a significant step in addressing wage disparities impacting primarily women in the workforce. The increase in minimum wage is expected to enhance financial stability for low-wage workers, many of whom are women.

Contention

Another notable clause within SB00068 is the requirement that all private and public employers ensure a minimum of 10% women on their board of directors by 2021, increasing to 30% by 2023. While proponents argue that this will promote gender diversity and equality in leadership roles, opponents may voice concerns about potential quotas being imposed, suggesting that such requirements could overlook factors of merit and qualifications. Overall, the bill is expected to promote gender equity across various sectors, although it may attract debate regarding the feasibility and implications of enforcing these mandates.