Statement by NOW President Christian F. Nunes WASHINGTON, D.C. – NOW is committed to commemorating Equal Pay Day and what it means for all women. While it’s a significant occasion, it also rekindles feelings of disbelief, anger, and frustration. It’s 2023 and – inexplicably and unjustifiably – it’s difficult to reckon with the fact that Read more …
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today is Equal Pay Day, a stark reminder of how far into the year women must work to be paid what men were paid the previous year. White women working full time in the U.S. make 83 cents for every dollar made by white men: that adds up to a loss of Read more …
Moving Toward Economic Equity – A long standing injustice soon could be rectified. Recently, President Obama announced a rule change to increase the salary threshold at which employers may exempt workers from overtime pay (for work beyond 40 hours per week) from $23,660 up to $50,440, starting in 2016. This is welcomed news for those of us that value fair pay as it would enable five million more workers to gain access to the overtime pay they deserve, but have been cheated out of it for decades. Their loss in income is due to efforts by conservative political leaders and business lobbyists who have kept the salary threshold that is subject to the overtime pay requirement unfairly low. The five million are part of a total 11 million workers who would be newly guaranteed overtime pay if the rule change is adopted. Importantly, women constitute a majority of workers in this group.
In 1966, Congress adopted a federal minimum wage for tipped workers, but it was only 50 percent of the minimum wage for other workers. The federal standard is just above two dollars an hour, and it has remained this low since 1991. Sounds out of this world, right? $2.13 an hour is less than 30 percent of the standard minimum wage, which is $7.25.
Women still are not receiving equal pay for equal work, let alone equal pay for work of equal value. This disparity not only affects women’s spending power, it penalizes their retirement security by creating gaps in Social Security and pensions.
Updated November 19, 2020 As women are being disproportionately impacted by the Coronavirus, the National Organization for Women seeks to provide resources for activists working on the frontlines of gender-based challenges during these difficult times. These resources are specifically for organizations advocating on the behalf of high-risk groups. They include webinars, petitions, and other campaigns that Read more …
TIMELINE OF MAJOR ACTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
National Organization for Women, 2006 – 2016
Printable PDF TIMELINE OF MAJOR ACTIONS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS National Organization for Women, 2006 – 2016 2006 2006, January 18 – NOW Foundation joins in a friend-of-the-court brief opposing a parental notification law and advocating for the health exception in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. On this date, the U.S. Supreme Read more …
The language of the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment as ratified by 35 states:
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This article shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.
Learn the difference between sick leave and paid leave, the importance of both to women, and the legislative and advocacy steps being taken to ensure both for all!