"It is disappointing to know that almost 20 years after the release of the original statement, unequal compensation is still a burden that women have to carry," said Linda V. Parker, director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. "The Commission's re-adoption of its earlier statement symbolically demonstrates the need to resurrect this issue and take further steps to ensure that employees of both genders are compensated equally."

The Commission's statement was re-adopted in honor of Equal Pay Day, and in response to a series of press conferences on Monday regarding the introduction of legislation related to equal pay in Michigan. As the Commission meeting took place before the introduction of the actual legislation, the Commission did not issue a statement supporting the proposed bill. Instead, this statement confirms a commitment to the idea of pay equity and an intention to continue exploring possible avenues to address pay equity concerns in the state.