Economic Opportunity

Support and Prioritize The Act to Establish Pay Equity (H.3183 & S.514)

by WREN Staff on Jan 14, 2022

As the second half of the 2021-2022 South Carolina Legislative Session kicks off, we must continue our push for comprehensive Pay Equity legislation. We need you to mobilize in support of the SC Act to Establish Pay Equity (H.3183 & S.514) by pushing legislators to vote yes and sign on as co-sponsors of this bipartisan bill.

The SC Act to Establish Pay Equity (H.3183 & S.514) is a bill that has bipartisan support and would ensure that employee pay is based on factors such as skill, effort, and responsibility. It bans the use of salary history and provides pay transparency without retaliation.

Help us mobilize in support of this critical legislation by writing a letter to your elected officials today! You can use the letter template below as a guide.

Since there are two versions of this bill, one in the House and one in the Senate, we encourage you to write two letters: one to your SC Senator, and one to your SC House Representative. You can find your legislators along with their contact information here.

Sample Pay Equity Support Letter:

Date

The Honorable________ (Your Senator/Representative’s full name)

Their Office Address

Columbia, SC 29201

Dear Senator/Representative (Your Lawmaker’s Last Name):

First, Introduce Yourself:

My name is [insert name] and I am a [insert job position; ex. Teacher, nurse, doctor, medical provider] who [has been/who is] directly affected by the current wage gap in South Carolina, which is why I urge you to support [(H.3183 if to your Representative)/ (S.514 if to your Senator)], a bill that would work to ensure that pay for all South Carolina employees will be based on factors such as skill, effort, and responsibility; ban the use of salary history; and provide pay transparency without retaliation.

OR

As a [community member/constituent] and someone closely affected by pay inequality, I urge you to support [(H.3183 if to your Representative)/ (S.514 if to your Senator)], a bill that would work to ensure that pay for all South Carolina employees will be based on factors such as skill, effort, and responsibility; ban the use of salary history; and provide pay transparency without retaliation.

Next, insert your personal story and inform your legislator as to why this bill matters to you:

Next, include another fact or two from the “Pay Equity” factsheet. Some examples are:

Close the letter by re-stating your request:

I write you today to ask that you would show your support by signing on as a co-sponsor for the bill, and to ask that you show your support and vote YES on [(H.3183 if to your Representative)/ (S.514 if to your Senator)] when it comes to a vote in the [House/Senate].

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

(Your Address)

 

As always, if you have any questions or need any support when composing your letters, please reach out to us at info@scwren.org.

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