5 Things You Need To Know Today in Framingham: Tuesday, March 15, 2022

[broadstreet zone=”53130″]

[broadstreet zone=”58610″]

1 Today is National Equal Pay Day.

This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.

Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages. (It was originally called “National Pay Inequity Awareness Day” and changed to Equal Pay Day in 1998.)

Since Census statistics showing the latest wage figures will not be available until late August or September, NCPE leadership decided years ago to select a Tuesday in April as Equal Pay Day. (Tuesday was selected to represent how far into the next work week women must work to earn what men earned the previous week.) The date also is selected to avoid religious holidays and other significant events.

Because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same amount of pay. The wage gap is even greater for most women of color.

2. Yesterday, Mayor Charlie Sisitsky toured the Edward M. Kennedy Health Care Center in Framingham. Recently, the Center, which is based in Worcester but has a location in Framinghan, was notified it will receive $1 million for interpretation services.

Mayor Sisitsky is expected to attend the City Council meeting tonight at 7.

On the agenda is for the full Council to approve his nominees to expand the Board of Health from 3 members to 5 members.

He nominated 3 individuals.

4. Other CITY OF FRAMINGHAM MEETINGS (all are remote and unless noted):

• Framingham School Committee: Finance & Operations Subcommittee & Sustainability Subcommittee at 4:30 p.m.
• Framingham City Council: Appointments Subcommittee at 6 p.m.

5. Today is also World Consumer Rights Day.

The day raises global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.

World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by President John F Kennedy, who sent a special message to the US Congress on March 15, 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilize action on important issues.