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Contact: <br />Senator Linda Stewart <br />District 13 <br />Matt Alford <br />Alford.Matt(flsenate.gov <br />850-487-5013 <br />Contact: <br />FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <br />January 20, 2017 <br />Contact: <br />Representative <br />Lori Berman <br />District 90 <br />Representative <br />Janet Cruz <br />District 62 <br />Carlos Ramos <br />Carlos.RamosAmyfloridahouse.gov <br />850-717-5062 <br />Abby Ross <br />Abby. Ross Amy flori dahouse. gov <br />850-717-5090 <br />SENATOR LINDA STEWART, HOUSE DEMOCRATIC LEADER JANET <br />CRUZ AND REPRESENTATIVE LORI BERMAN PROPOSE BILL TO <br />ELIMINATE THE GENDER PAY GAP <br />TALLAHASSEE — State Senator Linda Stewart (D -Orlando), House Democratic Leader Janet <br />Cruz (D -Tampa) and Representative Lori Berman (D -Lantana) today filed Senate Bill 410 and <br />House Bill 319, jointly named the Helen Gordon Davis Fair Pay Act, aimed at closing the gender <br />pay gap in Florida. <br />The bills seek to close the pervasive gender pay gap by updating and clarifying Florida's current <br />law to ban employers from paying workers differently based on sex or gender identity. On <br />average, women in Florida take home only 87 cents for every dollar earned by men. <br />"It is unconscionable that in America today women continue to be paid less for the same amount <br />of work as men," declared House. Democratic Leader Janet Cruz. "Our nation was founded on <br />the ideal that all of us are created equal and that ought to hold in all facets of our lives. Paying <br />people fairly for the work they do shouldn't depend on their gender, but rather on the quality of <br />their work." <br />Additionally, SB 410 and HB 319 delineates which reasons employers can use to pay employees <br />differently – things like education, skill -set, and experience. By clarifying these reasons, <br />employers can avoid costly litigation and be clear about which attributes are valued. Moreover, <br />the bills would prohibit "mommy tracking," ensuring that women (and men) are not forced into <br />lower tracks of employment based on assumptions. It would bar employers from inquiring about <br />or screening employees based on their prior salary history – a practice we know can introduce <br />unintended discrimination into the hiring process. It would also increase civil penalties for a <br />violation, thus motivating employers to do the right thing. <br />