Progressive Women's Caucus Introduces Pay Equity Package

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 03/20/2025) The Progressive Women’s Caucus announced a pay equity bill package Thursday morning. HB4288 - HB4297 consists of bills targeting penalties, incentives and hiring practices to emphasize pay equity in Michigan’s employment, according to bill sponsors.

Rep. Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit)’s bill strengthens penalties for wage discrepancies on the basis of sex, ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, based on the total number of employees the company has. She said the bill sends a “clear message that pay inequality is not just unfair, it’s unlawful, and it will not be tolerated in the state of Michigan."

Young said women are currently making around 16% less than men on average, and Black women only make 65 cents per every dollar a white man makes.

Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor) said her bill makes it “crystal clear” that an employer cannot pay an employee differently based on any protected attribute. At the same time, she said her bill also recognizes not all differences in pay fall under this umbrella and allows for pay discrepancies based on factors such as seniority, merit, production quality and quantity, etc.

Conlin said she found out she was being paid less than a male colleague hired at the same time as her, despite her having more education than him, at her very first job.

“It was just so discouraging,” she said. “I was living in an expensive city, and that pay difference really affected whether I walked to work or could afford to take the subway to work. That’s how bad it could be.”

Another bill in the package, introduced by state Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit) issues a certificate to employers who can demonstrate there is less than a 5% difference in the average gross compensation between employees of different identities.

She said this certificate will serve as a “badge of accountability" and could attract more talent to the company.

Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) sponsored a bill requiring employers to post a salary number alongside job descriptions, while Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley)'s bill prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their compensation history and credit score. She said basing future wages on past wages can perpetuate a cycle of wage discrimination.

Price became a full-time caregiver to her two children and picked up a part-time job that paid her $10 an hour, and when she decided to return to working full-time, she was asked during an interview about the gap in her resume and the pay she received during that time.

“When I explained that I was a full-time caregiver, the follow-up question was whether or not I was going to have more children,” Price said.

Byrnes said she is “optimistic” the bill package will be taken up in committee and beyond. She hopes for bipartisan support on the package.

“I know Speaker Hall has talked a lot about being committed to transparency—that's what this package is all about,” she said. “It’s about pay transparency; it’s about fairness and openness in the hiring process and the employment process once you are hired.”