D’Amico Effort to Increase Pay Equity Passes House

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to reduce the gender wage-gap, state Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, voted to pass legislation that aims to end pay discrimination against women.

“As a father of two daughters, I believe that they should have the same professional opportunities that will be afforded to their male peers,” D’Amico said. “No business should be permitted to make discriminatory payroll decisions based on gender.”

D’Amico is sponsoring and voted to pass House Bill 2462, which would forbid employers from paying employees with equal experience and in identical roles, different wages. Among other things, the bill would make it harder for employers to ask job applicants about their pay history during the application process.

The Census Bureau, which tracks annual wages, found women who worked full-time, year-round in 2016 made 79 cents for every dollar men earned across the country. The goal of his legislation is to address the fact that women have historically been paid less. Massachusetts recently enacted similar legislation.

“Equal pay for equal work is not only the right thing to do, but it also will help to grow our state’s economy by raising the wages of countless women throughout the state and put more dollars into the pockets of consumers,” D’Amico said. “More progress is needed to ensure equality between men and women, but this proposal is certainly a step in the right direction.”