Member of Tennessee BPW/USA

Equal Pay Remedies & Enforcement Act

Ceremonial Signing on June 17, 2004

Pictured, left to right, behind Governor Phil Bredesen, seated:  Michelle Chambers, TN Economic Council on Women; Barbara Dean, TN Federation of Business & Professional Women; Judy Webb, UAW; Rep. Mike Turner (House Sponsor); Joyce Brokaw, TN BPW; Senator Thelma Harper; Senator Jo Ann Graves (Senate Sponsor), Rep. Janis Sontany; Rep. Johnny Shaw; Sandra Bennett, TN BPW and Beth Bates, TN BPW.  

Picture by Jed DeKalb, Chief State Photographer
State of Tennessee Photographic Services
 

Excerpt from Economic News for Women

Summer 2004 Issue by Tennessee Economic Council on Women

The signing of the Equal Pay Remedies and Enforcement Act is a landmark victory for fair employment advocates across the state. The new legislation increases the penalty for violations of equal employment laws and calls for TECW to conduct an Equal Pay Study to help combat wage disparity. These measures

place Tennessee among the top states in the nation in promoting fair employment practices.  The Equal Pay Act increases employee protection by setting up a graduated system of damages for repeated willful discrimination offenses. A willful violation now costs the employer damages of up to double the amount of unpaid wages due the employee for the second offense and up to triple this amount for the third offense.

This groundbreaking legislation makes Tennessee the only state that increases the damages paid to affected employees for each repeated act of willful discrimination. The equal pay study will focus on researching the causes and effects of wage disparity in Tennessee in order to find effective recommendations to help solve the growing problem. This study will serve the vital role of providing the information and tools needed to fight wage disparity throughout the state. Through the increase in discrimination penalties and the TECW equal pay study, the Equal Pay Act makes great strides towards providing all Tennesseans with the opportunity for fair and equal employment.