Professor Emerita West Comments for Wall Street Journal on Fair Pay Act
Professor Emerita Martha S. West commented for the Wall Street Journal on the Fair Pay Act, a new California law that broadens past anti-discrimination legislation by ensuring that male and female employees performing "substantially similar" work are paid equal wages.
Professor West said "it will take several court decisions or agency decisions to work out how broadly the term ‘similar' will be defined," but the law still represents a significant step forward. One important provision of the Act bars employers from punishing workers who discuss salaries with colleagues, she said.
Women need to "talk to each other and talk to their male colleagues," West said. "And if women start organizing at work, that will put pressure on employers to correct differences before anyone has to sue."
Professor West taught courses on Employment Discrimination, Labor Law, and Sex-based Discrimination at UC Davis School of Law. Her research has focused on discrimination against women faculty in higher education.