Malden House delegation celebrates the passage of landmark wage equity legislation

Special to The Advocate

On Wednesday, October 4, State Representatives Paul Donato, Steve Ultrino and Kate Lipper-Garabedian joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass (148-8) An Act relative to salary range transparency (H.4100) – also known as the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act. This landmark piece of legislation requires employers with 25 or more employees to disclose a salary range when posting a position and protects the right of the employee to ask for salary ranges in the workplace.

The Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act takes great strides to empower workers and help minimize gender and racial pay gaps throughout the Commonwealth. This monumental legislation also places a focus on creating a dual-pronged approach in attracting a competitive and talented workplace while being transparent in disclosing salary and wage information to create an equitable workplace to help combat systematic barriers.

“This important piece of legislation is critical in ensuring a competitive and equitable workplace for all in Massachusetts,” said State Representative Paul Donato (D-Medford). “Additionally, I’m proud of my House colleagues for overwhelmingly passing this bipartisan legislation to help empower employees, while fighting the racial and gender pay gaps that persist throughout the Commonwealth.”

“I am excited to see the House take significant steps to close the gender and racial wage gap, and continue to build upon the Equal Pay Act of 2016,” said State Representative Steve Ultrino (D-Malden). “By making wage transparency a statewide requirement, this bill will protect employees across the Commonwealth and ensure historically underpaid demographics receive equal pay for equal work. I am grateful for the leadership of Speaker Mariano and my colleagues for supporting the legislation.”

“I was proud to join my colleagues in passing the Francis Perkins Workplace Equity Act not only to close gender and racial wage gaps but to empower workers broadly across the Commonwealth,” said State Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Melrose). “Greater pay transparency is a tool for correcting gender and racial wage disparities. Salary information further empowers all workers with greater leverage as they navigate the job market and seek income aligned with the value of their work.”

This legislation builds upon the measures taken to promote an equitable work environment with the Legislature’s passage of the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act in 2016. Additionally, this legislation was named after the first woman to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Labor – a proud Boston native, Frances Perkins.

On October 5, the Massachusetts Senate referred the Frances Perkins Workplace Equity Act to its Committee on Ways and Means. If the Act is signed into law, Massachusetts would be the eleventh state to require employers to disclose salary ranges and to mandate pay transparency.