HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 38
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss and Delegates, Brown, Amores, Anderson,
Argento, Armstead, Azinger, Barker, Beane, Boggs, Browning,
Butcher, Campbell, Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael, Craig,
Crosier, DeLong, Doyle, Eldridge, Ellem, Ennis, Ferrell, Fragale,
Frederick, Frich, Hall, Hamilton, Hartman, Hatfield, Houston,
Hrutkay, Hunt, Iaquinta, Kominar, Leach, Long, Longstreth,
Louisos, Mahan, Manchin, Marshall, Martin, Michael, Miley, Moore,
Morgan, Palumbo, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, Pethtel, Pino, Poling,
Proudfoot, Romine, Rowan, Schadler, Schoen, Spencer, Stalnaker,
Staton, Stemple, Stephens, Sumner, Susman, Swartzmiller, Tabb,
Talbott, Rick Thompson, Ron Thompson, Trump, Tucker, Varner,
Wakim, Walters, Webster, Wells, Gil White, H. K. White, Williams,
Wysong and Yost)
Requesting the executive departments to establish a coordinated
succession planning process which includes components
providing opportunities to correct the existing system-wide
gender pay disparity among state employees.
Whereas, The Pay Equity Study of West Virginia State Employees
commissioned by the Legislature and concluded in February, 2000
determined that there was a significant pattern of inequitable pay
for female job classes within state government; and
Whereas, Over the past three years, the Legislature has
appropriated $700,000 which, in conjunction with federal matching
funds, has resulted in $1.7 million in gender pay equity salary
increases; and
Whereas, The Division of Personnel, at the request of the Equal
Pay Commission, reevaluated the pay equity study using current
salaries, tenure, job classifications and turnover rates and
concluded that while some progress has been made, the state still
has a way to go; and
Whereas, A system-wide gender pay disparity may be corrected by
salary adjustment, by moving women into higher paying positions or
a combination of both; and
Whereas, A 2002 study by the West Virginia University
Institute for Public Affairs found that women state employees are
concentrated in lower-paid, lower echelon positions across state
government agencies and that women's employment is concentrated in
agencies which provide services and funding for children and the
poor which traditionally pay less than other agencies and women are
largely under-represented in administrative and managerial
positions; and
Whereas, Currently, the top half of the state's workforce is
devoid of female dominated positions and women are largely
under-represented in administrative and managerial positions; and
Whereas, Within the next ten years, over forty-two percent of
state employees will retire or will qualify to retire, many in professional and management positions; and
Whereas, The magnitude of upcoming state employee retirements
will result in the loss of significant institutional knowledge and
may result in certain agencies experiencing employee shortages
especially in currently difficult to fill positions; and
Whereas, The retirement of state employees also presents a
unique opportunity to address gender pay disparity; and
Whereas, The Equal Pay Commission has found that the level of
knowledge and planning for the upcoming retirements of state
employees varies significantly among executive agencies; therefore,
be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the executive department is requested to establish a
coordinated succession planning process which includes components
providing opportunities to correct the existing system-wide gender
pay disparity among state employees; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Equal Pay Commission be provided
with reports of all succession planning activities; and, be it
Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be
transmitted to the Director of the Division of Personnel.