Rep. Alma Adams & Delauro Reintroduce Paycheck Fairness Act To End Wage Discrimination
Washington, D.C.– Congresswoman Alma S. Adams (NC-12) joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would help close the wage gap between women and men working the same jobs. On average, women make just 78 cents for every dollar made by a man.
"In 2015, we should not still be having this debate about equal pay for equal work," said Congresswoman Alma Adams. "The Paycheck Fairness Act will help close the gap to make sure women can get the same pay as their male counterparts when they are performing the same job. Just as I championed a minimum wage increase in the State legislature, I'll be fighting for wage increases for women in the workforce."
The Paycheck Fairness Act builds upon the landmark Equal Pay Act, signed into law in 1963, by closing loopholes that have kept it from achieving its goal of equal pay. The bill would require employers to show pay disparity is truly related to job performance, not gender.
It also prohibits employer retaliation for sharing salary information with coworkers. Under current law, employers can sue and punish employees for sharing such information. In addition, it strengthens remedies for pay discrimination by increasing compensation women can seek, allowing them to seek both back pay and punitive damages for pay discrimination.
The bill empowers women in the workplace through a grant program, to strengthen salary negotiation and other workplace skills, and requires the Department of Labor to enhance outreach and training efforts to eliminate pay disparities.
President Obama's first bill, signed into law on January 29, 2009, was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which overturned the 180-day statute of limitations for women to contest pay discrimination. The Paycheck Fairness Act would close the loopholes that allow pay discrimination to continue in the first place and, with Ledbetter, provide employees the rights they need to challenge and eliminate pay discrimination in the workplace.