MACo offered amendments to a bill that would prohibit employers from determining an individual’s salary off of prior wage or pay history. The bill was heard on February 13, 2018 to the House Economic Matters Committee.

While the bill tackles a laudable goal in ensuring wage equality and not perpetuating wage disparities already entrenched through prior salary history, it significantly affects already established and effective wage and salary systems currently being used by local governments.

County and local government generally already perform many of the requirements in this bill  and they have pay scales in place that are specifically tailored to consider internal promotions and transfer of current employees.

From MACo Testimony:

While counties already comply with the majority of requirements outlined in this bill, MACo is concerned that prohibiting county employers from considering current wages in the internal promotion or transfer of current employees is impractical. Therefore, MACo requests the bill be amended to remove local government employers from its effect.

Efforts to promote wage equality should not intrude on public sector employee scales, which appropriately base compensation on experience and past workplace success.”

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2018 legislative session here.