Lalor: Phony “Equal Pay” law really another gift to trial lawyers

Equal Pay is Already the Law, Assembly Bills Are Misleading

Albany, NY – (4/27/15) – Assemblyman Kieran Michael Lalor (R,C,I – East Fishkill) is criticizing Assembly Democrats for including only one bill that actually supports equal pay laws among the series of bills the Democrats promoted as “equal pay” bills today.

“Equal pay for equal work is already the law in New York,” said Lalor. “Only one of the Assembly bills addressed the shortcomings of existing law to strengthen equal pay. That’s why I voted ‘Yes’ on A.5008. No one opposes equal pay. But, the other legislation isn’t about pay equality, it’s simply a payday for trial lawyers. The Assembly’s “pay equity” bill doesn’t require equal pay for equal work, as it’s title suggests. It does something completely different; setting up an arbitrary pay scale system, imposed by government bureaucrats. Bill A.6937 mandates equal pay for equivalent work. The government will decide what jobs are equivalent, imposing a massive new regulation on businesses across New York. That’s not equal pay for equal work, it’s a government-set wage scale.”

Lalor added, “This is classic demagoguery with misleading bill titles and talking points. Pay discrimination is wrong. It’s already illegal in New York. We passed one bill to strengthen rules against pay discrimination today. But, the Assembly also passed other bills like A.6937 that impose a massive new government bureaucracy.  Arbitrary government-imposed pay scales will open the door to a flood of law suits. The Assembly is giving the trial lawyer industry another weapon to extort money from taxpayers and the business world. These bills are so cumbersome and will lead to so much litigation that it will ensure that fewer new companies will start in New York and encourages existing companies to exit. The onslaught of law suits will also put some companies out of business. We should be focusing on creating an environment for job growth and put New Yorkers back to work, not add to the already crushing regulatory burden.”