PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Beverly Neufeld, Founder and President of PowHER NY, on Pay Transparency and Equal Pay Data Reporting
2:18:01
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3 min
Beverly Neufeld, representing PowHER NY, testified in support of several bills aimed at increasing pay transparency and equal pay data reporting in New York City. She emphasized the importance of these measures in addressing systemic wage inequality and praised New York City's leadership in embracing pay transparency.
- Endorsed amendments to Local Law 59 (Intro 808-A) for salary range disclosure
- Strongly supported Intros 982 and 984 for equal pay data analysis and reporting in the private sector
- Highlighted that major companies are already complying with similar laws in other jurisdictions
- Urged NYC to take action to protect workers and advance pay equity in light of a "hostile federal government"
Beverly Neufeld
2:18:01
Can you hear me?
2:18:02
Great.
2:18:04
Thank you, Chairperson Williams for calling today's hearing.
2:18:08
We're very excited to be here.
2:18:10
I'm Bev Neufeld, founder and president of Power New York.
2:18:13
We're over 100 organizations across New York State working collaboratively to advance women's economic equality and I think that we have, been before you before.
2:18:24
Power has been leading a 20 year campaign and we've made a lot of progress.
2:18:29
Today's bills, once again, and there's a suite of bills that you're talking about today, challenge us to confront ingrained practices and systemic wage inequality and to take action.
2:18:41
And that action that weire talking about today, which New York City has already done, is greater transparency.
2:18:47
Matter of fact, New York City has embraced, pay transparency with Local Law 59 in 2022, which you were so much a part of, which requires salary range disclosure and 808 a offers essential amendments which my colleagues have talked about.
2:19:05
Power New York fully endorses all of those amendments and we thank the, majority leader, majority whip, Brooks Powers for her diligence in proposing a really comprehensive needed changes to the current law.
2:19:20
But, the next step in transparency is the equal pay data analysis and reporting as proposed by intro 982, Council Member Caban, and 984 from Council Member Farrias.
2:19:36
Pay data reporting is already policy in New York City, but for the public sector.
2:19:44
So what we are asking for here is that the private sector match New York Cityis already strong commitment to ending wage and opportunity inequality with further transparency.
2:19:57
Matter of fact, New York State legislators have already embraced, pay data reporting with the passage of the Hoilman Bill, which was in 2022.
2:20:09
California, Illinois, United Kingdom, the European Union, have all embraced and are actually doing pay data reporting.
2:20:19
Citibank, American Express, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, right here in New York City, they are complying with laws that were written and enforced in the UK.
2:20:31
But New York City workers don't have the advantage of finding out the information that those reports show.
2:20:37
So we have a hostile federal government, as you've already, implied.
2:20:43
What can New York City do to protect its workers, to protect pay equity, to keep advancing pay equity also for the business community?
2:20:52
And by, instituting 984 and 982, that will be a big step.
2:20:58
Obviously as well, 808 is essential.
2:21:00
And weire very excited about the condition of that bill.
2:21:03
I think 98, 94, 982 we have assurances from the sponsors that theyill continue working on them.
2:21:13
Theyire complicated.
2:21:14
And they, but weire very excited about them being on the table and for discussing them today.
2:21:19
Thank you so much for hearing this.
