EXECUTIVE ORDER
15-09

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri is committed to ensuring that all Missourians are treated on equal terms; and

WHEREAS, at the direction of the Women’s Foundation, the University of Missouri Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs recently conducted a study entitled the Status of Women in Missouri; and

WHEREAS, this study found that a gender wage gap exists in Missouri, resulting in women not receiving equal pay for equal work, and that a gender wage gap exists across all age ranges, racial groups, ethnic groups, and educational training levels; and

WHEREAS, to address these findings, the Women’s Foundation has contracted with the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs to develop Pay Equity Best Practices Guidelines to identify and address the gender wage gap in both the public and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, the development of Pay Equity Best Practices Guidelines is a necessary step that will be beneficial to all Missourians; and

WHEREAS, while the final guidelines are not expected to be published until April 2016, the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs has recently released several preliminary guidelines and principles to help identify and address gender wage gaps in Missouri’s public and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, the preliminary guidelines specifically call for public and private entities to determine whether a gender wage gap exists within their organization, to re-evaluate their current compensation system in order to create an employment structure that promotes equal pay for equal work, and to ensure transparency concerning organizational compensation policies; and

WHEREAS, to remain competitive in the 21st century’s global economy, action is needed to address Missouri’s gender wage gap to ensure a skilled, inclusive, and competitive workforce; and

WHEREAS, Missouri state government has an obligation to support and promote equal treatment for all of its citizens.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JEREMIAH W. (JAY) NIXON, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, in recognition of the obligations of the State of Missouri and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby declare that Missouri is committed to the elimination of the aforementioned gender wage gap and direct all Executive Branch agencies, as well as strongly encourage all private employers, to review and determine how the practices, contained in the preliminary guidelines and, eventually, the Pay Equity Best Practices Guidelines, can be utilized by their agency or business and to identify and address any gender wage gap in order to ensure that all Missourians receive equal pay for equal work.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 4th day of December, 2015.

[Jay Nixon's signature]
Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
Governor

ATTEST:

[Jason Kander's signature]
Jason Kander
Secretary of State

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