NEWS RELEASE: OCCR to Hear Public on Pay Equity

[Estabrook Bob]

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Commissioner Brad Avakian
Bureau of Labor & Industries


Press Release
For Immediate Distribution
September 27, 2012
CONTACT: Bob Estabrook, 503-709-0730

Oregon Council on Civil Rights to Hear Public on Pay Disparity
First community forum coming up on Tuesday, October 2nd

PORTLAND- Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) and the Oregon Council on Civil Rights (OCCR) are hosting a Community Forum on Pay Equity next week to hear directly from Oregonians about wage gaps and their impacts.  OCCR members, as well as BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian, will be on hand to talk about pay disparity in Oregon, and to get input from the community on several options for attacking the problem.

Details for the event:
WHO: BOLI Commissioner Brad Avakian and the Oregon Council on Civil Rights
WHAT: Community Forum on Pay Equity
WHEN: October 2, 2012, from 5:30 to 7:30pm
            WHERE: AFL-CIO Oregon Labor Center at 3645 SE 32nd Avenue, Portland
WHY: To hear input from fellow Oregonians: their stories, experiences and perspectives on potential ways to move the state forward.

A recent report finds the wage gap is hurting women throughout Oregon<http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageNavigator/issues_work_wagegap_map_or.html>, and that gender and race both drive pay disparity.  Avakian and OCCR are leading the charge nationally to tackle this long-running issue, preparing to offer up a state action plan later this year that can serve as a model for other jurisdictions.

The forum on October 2nd will be a venue for the Council to hear from community members about their experiences with pay inequity and to gather feedback on the various models the Council has been researching to end pay inequity.  Summaries of the approaches taken in Sweden, Quebec, Ontario, Switzerland, and Canada's federal law are available on the OCCR website at www.oregon.gov/BOLI/CRD/pages/occr.aspx<http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI/CRD/pages/occr.aspx>.  The website also includes a feedback form to provide personal stories and feedback on the various models electronically.



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The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination.

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