This morning, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution signing-on to “The Columbus Commitment,” an initiative of the Columbus Women’s Commission that calls on employers to take action to promote gender- and race- based pay equity. The board is the 100th local employer to do so.
“Equal pay for equal work is an American ideal, and it’s too bad that it’s been so hard to achieve for so long,” said Board of Commissioners President, Kevin L. Boyce. “Signing on to this commitment was an easy decision, and I hope that other large employers will follow suit.”
The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio reports that locally, women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man and this disparity is wider for women of color.
“Fair pay, gender parity, and family-friendly policies are longstanding commitments of the Board of Commissioners,” said Commissioner Marilyn Brown. “By putting it in writing, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to treating our employees fairly and otherwise being an employer that great people want to work for.”
In addition to gender parity, the commissioners have long championed programs and policies that support the economic and social empowerment of all people, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability, in their households, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Such policies include a pilot Paid Family Leave Program which began earlier this year, a living wage standard that was implemented in 2016, the banning the criminal record box on job applications which occurred in 2012, and an inclusive fringe benefits program going back more than a decade.
“We want the best possible employees working for us and serving the residents of Franklin County,” said Commissioner John O’Grady. “So fair pay is both the right thing to do and a good business decision for the county. It’s something we’ve been committed to for a long time, and we’re happy to keep fighting for our employees and our residents in this way.”
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners employs about 1,400 individuals and is committed to continued equitable and fair treatment of each employee. In addition to signing-on to the “Columbus Commitment”, this morning’s resolution directed the commissioners’ Human Resources department to continue to explore and evaluate additional ways that Franklin County can ensure equity among its workers and continue to bolster its status as an Employer of Choice in Central Ohio.
The full text of the commissioners’ resolution can be found at
https://crms.franklincountyohio.gov/RMSWeb/pdfs/50722.Equity-Resolution.pdf.