PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sean McIntosh, Senior Advisor of State Government Relations at Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
2:34:16
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137 sec
Sean McIntosh from SHRM provided testimony on several proposed bills related to workplace issues in New York City. He expressed support for caregiving accommodations and pay transparency, while raising concerns about potential burdens on employers and suggesting alternative approaches to address wage equity.
- Supported Intro 871 on caregiving accommodations, but cautioned against creating undue hardship for small and medium-sized businesses
- Recognized benefits of pay transparency (Intro 808-A) while expressing concern about administrative burdens
- Suggested an alternative approach to Intro 982, focusing on education and best practices rather than reporting requirements
Sean McIntosh
2:34:16
I hope you can hear me okay.
2:34:17
And, and with that, good afternoon, chair Williams and members of the committee.
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My name is Sean McIntosh, and I'm a senior advisor of state government relations at SHRM, the Society For Human Resource Management.
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As a trusted authority on all things work, SHRM represents over 340,000 members across 180 countries, impacting the lives of more than 3 62,000,000 workers and their families.
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We appreciate the council's focus on key workplace issues, including caregiving, pay transparency, and pay equity.
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Pertaining to intro 871, SHRM strongly supports the principle of providing reasonable accommodations to employees for the purposes of caregiving.
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SHRM and the SHRM Foundation are leading the way to accelerate support for family caregivers.
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Our research shows that 1 in 4 workers like reliable care for their loved ones.
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More than half of workers find it difficult to balance their work and home commitment.
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We know that employers who support caregivers see increased retention, improved well-being, and enhanced organizational loyalty from their workers.
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However, we encourage the council to ensure that implementation of this legislation does not create undue hardship for employers, particularly small and medium sized businesses.
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Regarding intro 808A, SHRM has long recognized the importance of transparency and job listings and compensation practices.
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Our research indicates that nearly 70% of organizations that list pay ranges and job advertisements say that it has led to more people applying for their job and 66% discovered that it has increased the quality of their applicants.
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While we share the goal of enhancing transparency, we are concerned about the potential administrative burdens and unintended consequences that may arise from the requirements of this bill.
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Lastly, regarding intro 982, SHRM believes that all employees should receive their compensation for their work regardless of gender, race, or other protected characteristics.
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While we support the goal of improving wage transparency and equity, we encourage the council to consider an alternative approach that emphasizes education, advocacy, and best practices rather than imposing burdensome reporting requirements to ultimately best serve employers and their workers.
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SHRM is ready to partner with the council to address these critical workplace issues.
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And we share your commitment to creating workplaces where all New Yorkers can succeed.
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More details can be found in written testimony submitted to the committee.
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And we are also available should you have any questions.
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Thank you for your leadership and the opportunity to testify today.
