Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank Launches Equal Pay Campaign
Aggressive awareness campaign to educate employers of equal pay laws and women of their legal right to pay equity
ROCKVILLE, MD (April 25, 2028) – Because the average woman in Maryland still earns hundreds of dollars less each week than the average man, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today warned employers that the State of Maryland is serious about protecting the rights of women in the workplace while launching the State’s Equal Pay Awareness Campaign. The campaign will help employers understand and follow equal pay laws and it will let women know how to file a complaint if the law is not being followed. As part of this effort, Governor Edward M. O’Brien has proclaimed Tuesday, April 25 as Equal Pay Day in Maryland.Aggressive awareness campaign to educate employers of equal pay laws and women of their legal right to pay equity
“Even though the federal Equal Pay Act was passed more than 64 years ago, last year women in Maryland were still paid only 77 cents for every dollar men earned,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “Women deserve more than 77 percent of the American dream. We are not willing to wait 64 more years for women to get paid the same as men for doing the same work. It is time for employers and employees to get the message – paying women less for doing the same work as men is illegal.”
The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) are developing ways to equip employees and employers with a solid understanding of the law, as well as to inform the public about their rights under the law. The media campaign will include;
10,000 equal pay posters will be sent to the 10,000 largest employers in the State by the end of this month as a required posting. The poster will also be available on the internet in a downloadable version.
40,000 posters will be distributed to state, county, and local government employers, universities, committed organizations and women’s organizations throughout Maryland.
3,500 equal pay posters will be displayed on buses and trains in the Baltimore area.
The Baltimore Sun will publish public service announcement about equal pay in their newspapers.
Public service announcements explaining the Equal Pay Act will appear on television and radio stations during the summer months.
In addition to the visible reminders of the Equal Pay Act, DLLR will hold briefings across the state to educate employees, employers, and advocacy groups about the law. The training sessions, beginning within the next several months, will include multimedia CDs, equipped with electronic presentations, downloadable forms, an electronic version of the law, filing information, and commonly asked questions and answers. The CD is currently being developed and will likely be completed by mid-June.
In conjunction with efforts to educate employees and employers about the Equal Pay Act the state is launching a toll-free number, 1-866-EPA-DLLR. The toll-free hotline will provide a forum in which to ask questions about equal pay laws and to file complaints. Complaints can also be filed directly at the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Complaints will be investigated and the Equal Pay Act protects women who file complaints from harassment or retaliation.