Issue Position: Labor

Issue Position

Jean has been a consistent coauthor of bills to increase the minimum wage. This year the legislature, with Jean's vote, raised the minimum wage to $9.50 per hour by 2016. It will be indexed to inflation to make sure that wages keep up with the cost of living.

This year the legislature, with Jean's vote, also passed the Woman's Economic Security Act, a package of legislation designed to close the gender pay gap and level the playing field for work women in the workplace. Additional provisions expanded parenting and sick leave for working families and enhanced employment protections for pregnant workers.

Jean consistently supports labor's position on prevailing wage, workers compensation and the right to organize.

After a scandal that caused removal of the chair, Jean was selected by the Speaker of the House to take over as chair of the Labor Management Relations Committee. As chair, Jean engineered the passage of a bill allowing parents to take time off work to participate in parent-teacher conferences and other school activities.

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