Paycheck Fairness Act
Despite the fact that most American women contribute or are solely responsible for the fiscal stability of their households, they only make on average 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn in the workforce. This number significantly drops among minority women. Not only does this impact women’s financial security, but also their families’. The wage gap contributes to families’ inability to save for retirement, invest in their children’s education, and overcome living paycheck to paycheck.
Addressing this inequality, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) reintroduced the Paycheck Fairness Act in the House. If passed, it would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (P.L. 88-38), increasing women’s earning power.
H.R. 7
This legislation would:
• Allow women to challenge pay discrimination and ban retaliation against those who discuss their wages;
• Require employers to prove pay disparities exist due to skill level and merit, not because of gender;
• Limit the influence of a potential employee’s current salary on her future salary;
• Establish a program through the Department of Labor (DOL) to train women on negotiating skills;
• Create studies through the DOL and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on pay disparity and discrimination; and,
• Provide tools to the DOL to help women understand and combat wage discrimination.
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