The Next Step in the Fight for Pay Equity
Join AAUW in urging the Senate to continue the fight against wage discrimination by acting swiftly on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 182/H.R. 12) to ensure the change hard working Americans need to receive equal pay. Take action now to urge your senators to demonstrated a firm, bipartisan resolve to attack wage discrimination on all fronts by supporting the Paycheck Fairness Act.
The House passed both the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on Jan. 9 with strong, bipartisan votes. See how your representative voted on the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. AAUW believes that a swift approval of both bills by the Senate as well will demonstrate a clear message that pay discrimination will not be tolerated.
A much needed updated of the 45-year-old Equal Pay Act, the Paycheck Fairness Act is a comprehensive bill that would create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law, empower women to negotiate for equal pay, and strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts. Championed by longtime AAUW friend Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the bill would also deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations and by prohibiting retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their own wages. Together with the Ledbetter bill, this critical piece of legislation can help create a climate where pay discrimination is not tolerated, and give the new administration the enforcement tools it needs to make real progress on pay equity.
With a record 71 million women in the workforce, wage discrimination hurts the majority of American families, both in terms of their economic security today and their retirement security tomorrow. Due to rising employment rates, an unprecedented number of women are now the family breadwinner – making pay equity even more critical, not simply to family economic security, but also to the nation’s economic recovery.
Read the in-depth story of AAUW's instrumental role in the 2008 House passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, capping off a fight that lasted more than a decade, and learn more about the role thousands of AAUW members and supporters across the nation played in this win for pay equity.
