Murphy Tweets he will sign NJ’s equal pay bill

Christopher Lang, Correspondent, @topherlang2 | Apr 11, 2018 | MonroeNow

First-term Governor Murphy said he will sign the recently approved equal pay bill when it comes to his desk later this month.

Governor Murphy’s announcement came via Twitter on April 10, which was also National Equal Pay Day, which symbolizes how far into the year women need to work to earn what their male counterparts made in the previous year.

Governor Murphy

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. (NJ Governor’s Office)

The legislation Governor Murphy intends to sign on April 24 is called the “Diane Allen Equal Pay Act.” At its core, the legislation amends the state’s discrimination law to prohibit unequal pay for similar work, but does note exceptions such as education level, merit-based, seniority, training and experience. However, those exceptions must be based on job-related functions and not based on gender.

Allen is a state senator from Burlington County who has been an advocate for closing the gender wage gap.

The legislation received overwhelming support in both chambers of the state Legislature. It passed 35-0 in the Senate and 74-2 in the Assembly.

“There is no reason a woman in New Jersey should earn just 82 cents to the dollar made by a male for the same work,” Governor Murphy tweeted on April 10. “That’s why, two weeks from now on April 24th, I will sign into law the most sweeping equal pay legislation in America to close the gender wage gap. #EqualPayDay.”