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Oct. 20--The Nassau government agency that is supposed to push for minority and women-owned companies to do business with the county is described in a county legislative office's new report as paying women far less than men with similar jobs.
The agency, the Office of Minority Affairs, employs four women and five men.
The report by Eric Naughton, director of the Legislative Budget Review office, says all the women in the office are paid less than the men and the percentage of salary increases for the women over the past 12 months "were significantly lower than [that of] any of the men other than the executive director."
"This is despite similar titles and often superior educational levels of the women," the report says.
Bruce Nyman, a spokesman for County Executive Thomas Suozzi, said his boss had not seen the report, "but the entire matter has been turned over to our Equal Employment Opportunity office."
Roger Corbin (D-Westbury), the deputy presiding officer of the legislature, said the county's Equal Employment Opportunity office is part of the problem. It was Corbin who asked for the Legislative Budget Office review of the situation and to whom the report was addressed.
"These women have filed actions with the EEO and nothing has happened, even though it is supposed to take action within 90 days. All of these cases are far older than that," Corbin said Monday during a legislative meeting.
Regarding the agency's two deputy directors, the report says "the man is paid $82,500 and the woman is paid $53,820. ... In addition, the deputy counsel, with a law degree, receives less than any of the men. The situation has had a strong impact on the morale in the office."
None of the four women wanted to be identified or would comment.
John Moye, executive director of the Office of Minority Affairs, said he was unaware of the discrepancy in pay until Naughton's report.
"I've turned it over to the EEO office to review and to give me their findings as soon as possible," Moye said.
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Copyright (c) 2006, Newsday, Melville, N.Y.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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