On Wednesday, the Senate voted 58-41 against moving forward with the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have helped to close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act with harsher penalties against employers who discriminate against workers on the basis of gender.
While the Equal Pay Act, signed into law by President Kennedy in 1963, was a major victory for women, the bill is in dire need of updates to ensure full equality. Though the Act requires that men and women be given "equal pay for equal work," limited enforcement tools have resulted in a persistent wage gap. Today, women continue to face significant barriers in workplace equity. Women make up half of the workforce, and two-thirds of American families with children depend on this income for survival. Yet, an enormous gender pay gap remains - women make only 77 cents for every dollar that men earn, a divide which is even greater among women of color. This gap translates to a loss of over $10,000 a year, significantly worsening the struggles of many women to keep their families afloat during the economic crisis.
The Senate’s failure to remedy income inequality is not representative of American voters, 84 percent of whom said they supported such a bill. This failure, which Deborah J. Vagins of the ACLU described as another victim of the partisan gridlock that has plagued Congress, will be felt within the homes of millions of American women, particularly in these difficult economic times, when many more families depend on female breadwinners. The vote stands in sharp contrast to the White House’s repeated support for the bill, including issuing a Statement of Administrative Policy advocating the passage of the Act. Following the vote, President Obama gathered with leading advocates of the bill to discuss next steps.
Despite this tragic blow to the livelihoods of millions of women, the struggle is far from over. As Vagins states, “This is not the end of the fight. There is too much at stake to stop the work while families are struggling to make ends meet. People will continue to make their voices heard, our allies in Congress will continue the effort, the advocates will never give up, and the President himself made it clear that despite Wednesday's vote, 'my Administration will continue to fight for a woman's right to equal pay for equal work.'"
Legal Momentum supports all measures to enhance women’s economic security, and the Paycheck Fairness Act is an essential component of this security. We have worked tirelessly to further employment rights, particularly through our Equality Works Program, which uses policy initiatives and impact litigation to challenge discrimination and expand opportunities for women working in historically male-dominated fields such as the skilled trades and firefighting. We strive to strengthen TANF and the social safety net, support job training, and combat workplace discrimination.
Workplace equality is a critical step towards ensuring economic security for women and their families and we will continue to fight until all women receive full economic equality.
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