Bill Text: NJ S1395 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Concerns gender equity in the workplace. *
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-03-11 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee [S1395 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1395-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Beach, Cunningham and Gill
SYNOPSIS
Concerns gender equity in the workplace.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Labor Committee on March 4, 2010, with amendments.
An Act concerning the 1[elimination of pay disparities between men and women] promotion of gender equity1 in the workplace and amending P.L.1999, c.223.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.1999 c.223 (C.34:15C-22) is amended to read as follows:
2. The Council shall:
a. Assess the effectiveness of State programs designed to provide gender equity in labor, education and training;
b. Make recommendations to the Commissioners of the Departments of Community Affairs, Education, Human Services and Labor and Workforce Development, and the [Chairperson] Executive Director of the Commission on Higher Education regarding the needs, priorities, programs and policies related to access and equity for labor, education and workforce training throughout the State;
c. Review current and proposed legislation and regulations pertaining to gender equity in labor, education and workforce training and make recommendations regarding possible legislation and regulations to the State Employment and Training Commission and the Division on Women;
d. Develop policies to insure that State agencies set benchmarks and integrate their data collection systems to assess progress toward achieving gender equity and take action to insure that appropriate data collection systems exist where needed;
e. Develop policies to promote linkages among individuals, schools, organizations and public agencies providing gender equity services and programs;
f. Educate and provide information to the public on the issues and current developments in gender equity by issuing reports and holding events such as conferences and symposia;
g. 1[Annually assess the implementation of the recommendations of the Gender Equity Task Force of the State Employment and Training Commission which were published in the reports of the task force entitled, "Leveling the Playing Field: Removing Barriers for Women in New Jersey's Employment and Training Programs," and "Balancing the Equation: A Report on Gender Equity in Education";]1 [and]
1[h.]1 Submit an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, the State Employment and Training Commission and the Division on Women of its assessments and recommendations made pursuant to this section;
1[i.] h.1 Conduct studies and promote research to develop the means to correct 1[the conditions] gender inequitable practices, including practices1 leading to pay disparities between men and women and publish and otherwise make available to employers, labor organizations, professional associations, educational institutions, the media and the general public the findings resulting from these studies and other materials;
1[j.] i.1 Develop and make available 1[guidelines] information regarding best practices for workplace gender equity1 to enable employers to evaluate job categories based on objective criteria, such as educational requirements, skill requirements, independence, working conditions and responsibility; and
1[k.] j.1 Establish a Statewide 1[award for] recognition of exceptional practices to promote gender1 equity in the workplace to be presented to a workplace, as shall be defined by the Council, that, at a minimum, has demonstrated it has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and thus deserves special recognition, in addition to any other requirements and specifications the Council deems appropriate in the determination of the 1[award] workplace to be recognized1.
(cf: P.L.1999, c.223, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, but the Executive Director of the State Employment and Training Commission may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
