Poll finds majority support for gender pay equity bill

Despite the restrictions it would place on employers, most voters in last week’s poll like a new bill before the state legislature that takes aim at the wage gap between men and women. According to a report in The Boston Globe, the bill would prohibit employers from seeking job candidates’ salary histories, require companies to disclose an advertised position’s minimum pay, and permit employees to discuss their salaries openly. Bill sponsors say such practices would help reduce the wage gap by addressing the problem before a candidate is interviewed. Because women’s earnings are historically lower than men’s, they argue, revealing their salaries puts them at a disadvantage, the Globe report said.