(1) Workers are not achieving wage and benefit
increases commensurate with corporate profits and
sustained economic expansion. While the median
wage for workers fell 8 percent in real terms during
the business cycle peaks from 1979 through 1996,
after-tax corporate profit rates grew 66 percent.
(2) The wage gap between men and women has
increased in the last 4 years, reversing a 20 year
trend in which that gap had narrowed.
(3) Despite a significant degree of closing the
education gap between minority and white Ameri-
cans, wage gaps between these groups persist and
for some minority groups have been expanded.
(4) Over the period of 1979 through 1996,
workers have experienced a heightened sense of job
insecurity due to corporate downsizing, deregulation
of key industries, new technology, and foreign com-
petition.
(5) The last decade has seen a growth in the
use of part-time and temporary workers.
(6) Insufficient research has been done to de-
termine the extent and the impact of the use of
part-time workers and the failure of wages, espe-
cially for female workers, to keep pace with economic
growth and corporate profits.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established the National
Commission on Fairness in the Workplace (hereafter in
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
(b) MEMBER AUTHORITY.—Any member or agent of
the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission,
take any action which the Commission is authorized to
take by this Act.
(c) CHAIRPERSON, VICE CHAIRPERSON.—The Chair-
person of the Commission shall be designated by the Presi-
dent at the time of appointment. The Vice Chairperson
shall be elected by the members of the Commission. The
term of office of the Chairperson and the vice Chairperson
shall be the life of the Commission.
(d) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall cease to
exist upon the expiration of 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. COMMISSION DUTY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall examine—
(1) the growing corporate practice of providing
wages and benefit levels for part-time and temporary
employees which are lower than the wage and bene-
fit levels provided to full-time employees who per-
form essentially identical work;
(2) how the use of part-time and temporary em-
ployees has affected wage and benefit levels, em-
ployee job insecurity, and employee productivity;
(3) the reasons that workers’ wages have not
kept pace with corporate profits and economic
growth;
(4) the reasons for the widening median wage
gap between working men and working women; and
(5) the reasons for the consistent discrepancy in
the average wage of minority populations in com-
parison to the average wage of white Americans.
At the conclusion of the examination, the Commission
shall develop policy options for the Congress to address
the problems identified in the examination.
(b) SCOPE.—The Commission shall conduct its exam-
ination with respect to the States and Guam, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas
Islands.
(c) DEFINITION.—As used in section 2 and this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘minority populations’’ means Blacks (not
of Hispanic origin), Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders,
American Indians, and Alaskan natives.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) APPOINTMENT.—Within 60 days of the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall be com-
posed of 14 members appointed as follows:
(1) 6 members appointed by the President of
which 2 shall be from the executive branch and 4
representatives from either labor, business manage-
ment, or academia.
(2) 2 members appointed by the Majority Lead-
er of the Senate of which one shall be a member of
the Senate and one shall be from private life.
(3) 2 members appointed by the Minority Lead-
er of the Senate of which one shall be a member of
the Senate and one shall be from private life.
(4) 2 members appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives of which one shall be a
member of the House of Representatives and one
shall be from private life.
(5) 2 members appointed by the Minority Lead-
er of the House of Representatives of which one
shall be a member of the House of Representatives
and one shall be from private life.
The Secretary of Labor shall be an ex-officio member of
the Commission.
(b) WAIVER OF LIMITATION ON EXECUTIVE SCHED-
ULE POSITIONS.—Appointments may be made under sub-
section (a) without regard to section 5311(b) of title 5,
United States Code.
(c) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the
life of the Commission.
(d) RATES OF PAY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), members shall each be paid at a rate not
to exceed the rate of basic pay for GS–15 of the
General Schedule for each day (including travel
time) during which they are engaged in the actual
performance of duties vested in the Commission.
(2) PROHIBITION OF COMPENSATION OF MEM-
BERS AND FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the
Commission who are Members of the Senate or the
House of Representatives or full-time officers or em-
ployees of the United States may not receive addi-
tional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their
service on the Commission.
(3) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member shall
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and
5703 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 6. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) HEARINGS
AND SESSIONS.—The Commission
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hear-
ings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and
receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
The Commission may administer oaths or affirmations to
witnesses appearing before it.
(b) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet monthly
or at the call of the chairperson or a majority of its mem-
bers.
(c) STAFF.—The Commission shall appoint a staff.
(d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to rules
prescribed by the Commission, the Commission may pro-
cure temporary and intermittent services under section
3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for
individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent of the mini-
mum annual rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 of the
General Schedule.
(e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request
of the Commission, the head of any Federal department
or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission
to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.
(f) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission
may secure directly from any department or agency of the
United States information necessary to enable it to carry
out this Act. Upon request of the Commission, the head