CalChamber Signs Equal Pay Pledge; Endorses Best Practices to Close Gender Pay Gap

The California Chamber of Commerce is underscoring its commitment to and endorsement of efforts to close the gender pay gap by signing California’s Equal Pay Pledge today.

“CalChamber understands the critical importance of pay equity,” said CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera. “Equal pay is not only the law in California, it is the right thing to do. Additionally, studies underscore the fact that gender-equality practices increase productivity and profitability. This pledge promotes best practices for ensuring a culture and environment of fairness and equality in the workplace and encourages training so that companies can implement new policies in a way that best fits their resources and structure.”

Companies that sign the Equal Pay Pledge commit to:

• Conduct an annual internal company-wide gender pay analysis;
• Review hiring and promotion processes and procedures to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers to equality; and
• Promote equal pay best practices.

Today’s action by CalChamber builds on support for closing the gender pay gap. CalChamber supported the 2015 Fair Pay Act authored by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson which requires employers to pay employees, regardless of gender, equal pay for performing substantially similar duties unless the employer can show the pay discrepancies are based on seniority, merit, experience, education, training, or any other bona fide factor. It also allows employees to share compensation information with one another without fear of retaliation.

CalChamber is also preparing training opportunities for its member companies, so they have resources available to better understand pay transparency laws and equal pay best practices in California.

Companies wishing to sign the California Equal Pay Pledge are encouraged to visit Take the Equal Pay Pledge Today! | CCSWG (ca.gov).

About CalChamber
The California Chamber of Commerce (CalChamber) is the largest broad-based business advocate to government in California. Membership represents one-quarter of the private sector jobs in California and includes firms of all sizes and companies from every industry within the state. Leveraging our front-line knowledge of laws and regulations, we provide products and services to help businesses comply with both federal and state law. CalChamber, a not-for-profit organization with roots dating to 1890, promotes international trade and investment in order to stimulate California’s economy and create jobs. Please visit our website at www.calchamber.com.