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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><img width="185" height="60" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.png@01CF1B4A.10559DD0"></span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>January 27, 2014<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 or (503) 913-5407 mobile
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b>Sunny Petit, Oregon Council on Civil Rights, (503) 347-8754<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:black">Oregon Council on Civil Rights: Report on Pay Inequality in Oregon
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="color:black">New report highlights policy recommendations to end wage gap<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Eugene, OR—The pay gap between women, people of color and their male counterparts negatively impacts short-term earnings, long-term savings, housing security, health care and educational opportunities, a new report
from the Oregon Council on Civil Rights finds. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The Council’s report to Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian looks at contributing factors and policy recommendations to achieve equal pay for equal work. The Council will present findings to the Oregon Legislature
as a result of Oregon SB 744 (2013), authored and sponsored by Senator Chris Edwards (D-Eugene).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">“<b>Oregon’s wage gap doesn’t just hurt women and people of color, it hurts everyone,</b>” said Sunny Petit, chair of the Oregon Council on Civil Rights. “<b>Our workforce is changing – with women serving as the
breadwinners or co-breadwinners for nearly two-thirds of families across the country. This report highlights new tools and recommendations for policymakers so that we can end the pay gap and put Oregon families on stable economic footing.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In Oregon, women fare only slightly better than the national average, earning 79 cents for every dollar that male workers earn in the state. The disparity among women of color is wider still: Hispanic and Latina
women working full time earned </span>only 59 percent<span style="color:black"> of the income of their white male counterparts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">“<b>There’s no one, overarching driver of the pay gap</b>,” said Labor Commissioner Avakian. “<b>And no single policy recommendation alone will eliminate the disparity. What it will take is focused, ongoing attention
– and commitment to building a stronger, more equitable economy. Oregon does not have to accept economic insecurity and inequality – nor should we wait for Congress to act.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Commissioner Avakian will use the recommendations to inform the agency’s development of an action plan to end</span> Oregon's wage gap.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>“It’s wrong that equally qualified women and men with similar life experiences bring home very different paychecks for the same work,” </b>said Sen. Edwards.<b> “When we close the pay gap – and strengthen the buying power of millions
of Oregonians – that benefits families, communities, and our economy as a whole.”</b><b><span style="color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always">
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The report shows that in many of the top paying fields in Oregon – such as engineering, computer and mathematics, and law enforcement – males comprise more than 70 percent of the field. However, in the only high-earning
category in which women hold a majority of positions – professional health diagnosing and treating practitioners, where women account for 70 percent of job holders – Oregon women still earn only 64 cents to every dollar of their male counterparts.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color:black">Pay Inequality in Oregon</span></i><span style="color:black"> highlights major contributors to pay inequality, including work-life barriers, educational factors including disparities in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related study, and workplace bias and discrimination. Expensive and inadequate child care, the difficulty of caring for a sick child or family member, or the inability to take time off for a student’s school-related activity
all contribute to barriers for women and working families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The report notes that more than 60 percent of minimum wage workers in Oregon are women, disproportionately women of color.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The report’s policy recommendations include:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:38.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b>Public outreach and awareness</b>: Invest in technical assistance for employers<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:38.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b>Educational and occupational initiatives</b>: Increase access to career training for women and people of color; encourage more diverse representation in STEM fields<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:38.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b>Workplace best practices</b>: Create a toolkit for employers to use to achieve equal pay; develop an award program for employers that are leading their sectors<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:38.25pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<![if !supportLists]><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><![endif]><b>Legislative: </b>Implement family–friendly policies that support working parents and caregivers; create new protections against retaliation and discrimination; expand child tax care credits<b><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Council’s work comes as national attention from The Shriver Report, released earlier this month, underscores the need for the nation “to modernize its relationship with women.” The
<i>Shriver Report</i> estimates that closing the wage gap between men and women would cut poverty in half and add nearly half a trillion dollars to the national economy.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“<b>Closing the wage gap will be good for Oregon's economy</b>," said Cheryl Collins, Vice President of Organizational Development at Ninkasi Brewing Company. "<b>The companies that are leading the way on equal pay for equal work understand
that flexible and fair workplaces help attract and retain top talent</b>."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The Oregon Council on Civil Rights will present its findings at a forum co-hosted by Labor Commissioner Avakian and Senator Chris Edwards tonight in Eugene. Copies of the report are available upon request.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon St., Ste. 1045<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, OR 97232-2180<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(971) 673-0788 wk.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(503) 913-5407 cell.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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