Lightfoot mandates audit of city's workforce to find gender, racial pay gaps
CHICAGO (CBS) – The City of Chicago took a big step toward addressing both racial and gender pay equity.
As part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's executive order, there will be a bi-annual audit of the city workforce to identify inequities in employee compensation.
Then, a report of the findings will be published on the Department of Human Resources website.
And the city will act to address any gender or racial disparities in earnings.
"I envision a city where young women, regardless of their race, ethnicity, age or socioeconomic status can reach any career aspiration that they dream of," Lightfoot said. "I want my daughter's generation to be free of the barriers that have held too many of us back."
To mark that pay gap, President Joe Biden proclaimed Tuesday "National Equal Pay Day."
Putting equal pay into context, it takes the average woman all of last year through Tuesday March 14, two and a half months into the new year, to earn as much as the average man made last year.