Juvenile Court Commits to Gender & Race-based Pay Equity
Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Kari Bloom was among 40 local businesses whose leaders signed the 2024 “Pay Equity Commitment” on April 9, at the third annual Pay Equity Commitment Signing Day developed and sponsored by the Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls.
The latest class of signers joins over 80 Hamilton County businesses and organizations that have already taken the pledge.
The voluntary Pay Equity Commitment began in 2022 as part of Hamilton County’s broader focus on advancing pay equity within the region. It provides strategies to implementing specific solutions to help close the gender and race-based pay gaps in Hamilton County.
The commitment recognizes that biases and lack of access to promotions, bonuses, and flexibility contribute to consistently lower earnings for women and disproportionately women of color.
By signing the Hamilton County Pay Equity Commitment, the Court pledges to set an example in pay equity in Hamilton County and asks employers to remedy disparities contributing to the gender wage gap. Of the Court’s 350 employees, 62% identify as female.
County Commission Vice President Denise Driehaus, who started the Commission on Women & Girls, pointed out that Hamilton County is paying women 98 cents on the dollar. “Doing pretty well, we have a couple cents to go!”
Driehaus went on to say, “When women aren’t paid the same as men the whole community is failing. Women are often times head of household, they are driving the economy, they are raising families and when they’re not paid adequately, then we all suffer from that.”
The Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls was formed in 2017 to give women and girls a seat at the table, turning rhetoric into action. The Commission is comprised of 20 community leaders and 10 high school student members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The commission promotes the rights of women and girls and the ability to be fundamentally free in political, economic, social, cultural, and civil realms. The Commission on Women & Girls makes recommendations to the Board, facilitates community partnership and engagement, promotes women leadership, and develops educational campaigns in alignment with the commission’s commitment to give women and girls a seat at the table.
