Governor Steve Bullock signed an executive order today promoting the work of his Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force. Bullock says his executive order aims to incentivize businesses who promote wage transparency.
"My order asks businesses who contract with the state to do three simple things. First, agree not to retaliate against employees who ask for wage information. Second, post a salary range when advertising a position. And third, agree not to ask about employee’s wage history in the hiring process."
The concepts in this order will be pitched as the Paycheck Fairness Act to lawmakers next session. A version of that act failed to pass in 2015.
The Democratic governor says despite the passage of the federal Equal Pay Act in the 1960s, the wage gap between men and women still exists.
In an emailed statement, Aaron Flint, the communications director for Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, said if elected, Gianforte would certainly be open to continuing the concept of the Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force. But added "Any task force needs to see actual results."
Bullock created the Equal Pay for Equal Work Task Force in 2013. In the last legislative session one of the three bills proposed by the Task Force passed.
