Governor s Equal Pay Task Force Releases Final Report
The task force’s final report, released as Bullock prepares to leave office, encourages more women to pursue jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to learn effective wage negotiation strategies. It also recommends employers engage in fair hiring policies and offer childcare solutions and paid family leave.
Bullock created the task force in his first year in office. In the seven years since, the group reports that the median earnings of Montana women have increased from 68.4 to 73.2 percent of the median earnings of men in the state. The gap narrowed more in Montana than nationwide in that time, though the wage gap in Montana is still wider than seen nationally.