In a statement released on Tuesday, New York Governor Mario Cuomo outlined an expansion of the Women’s Equality Act, a bill he emphasized is not new, but rather, a revitalized, robust repackaging of a former bill.
The Democratic governor scheduled a news conference today in Albany to release details of the bill during at the Capitol building as he meets with women’s rights groups who will also attend a rally later in the afternoon. Governor Cuomo continues to commit to the principles in his January State of the State address in which he promised to advocate better laws that protected against gender discrimination in the workplace and continued to oppose the bias society has held against women in the state of New York.
The proposed bill faces Republican opposition from the conservative right, as well as anti-abortion groups who condemn the state of New York for leading the nation in the number of abortions. These groups include the Catholic Church and several church officials have continued to express strong opposition to the abortion-rights issue, which strengthens the Roe vs. Wade controversy.
Governor Cuomo disagrees, claiming the proposal would restore the state of New York as a pioneer of women’s rights and acts to prevent discrimination at the workplace. New York has historically been at the forefront of women’s suffrage movements, citing the convention in Seneca Falls, a landmark event as the First Women’s Rights Gathering in 1948.
The 10-point bill he emphasizes is not new, but a revitalized version of the former bill. Items included under the bill for general women’s equality including equal pay for women as for men, measures to address sexual harassment in all workplaces, proposals to remove family discrimination, attempts to combat housing discrimination, protection for female abuse victims and enforcing job protection if a woman becomes pregnant.
Although employees in the United States are protected by law from workplace discrimination, this continues to be an issue especially surrounding women’s rights. In order to exercise one’s right to a safe and diverse workplace, any employee who feels his or her rights have been violated should seek counsel from a qualified employment law attorney.
Source: silive.com, “Sweeping women’s rights legislation proposed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo” Judy L. Randall, Jun. 04, 2013
