A bill introduced Wednesday and referred to the House Minerals Committee would provide for a study and report on the gender wage gap in Wyoming.

The measure calls for a 2003 study and report, "A Study of the Disparity in Wages and Benefits Between Men and Women in Wyoming," to be updated and expanded. The study was authorized in 2002.

Under the bill, the Department of Workforce Services would report to the Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Interim Committee and the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee by Oct. 1, 2018.

The study and report would focus on:

(i) If and where disparities exist, including:

(A) Data and analysis according to county;

(B) Data and analysis according to occupation;

(C) Comparative state data with other state and federal information;

(ii) The causes of any wage and benefit disparities;

(iii) The impacts of any wage and benefit disparities on Wyoming's economy;

(iv) Possible solutions and workforce development programs to reduce or eliminate any wage and benefit disparities;

(v) Benefits and costs of eliminating or reducing any wage and benefit disparities.

The bill's fiscal note says costs could range from the $60,000 estimated by the University of Wyoming to the $96,000 estimated by the Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning office.

The actual cost of the study can't be determined until a request for proposal is issued.

The original study saw $81,000 appropriated by the legislature. Of that, $75,000 was paid to the University of Wyoming for the study and report.

According to the fiscal note, if the study costs about $100,000, the Department of Workforce Services estimates the spending impact on the Workforce Development Training Fund to be roughly equal to one month of workforce training grants.

 

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