Tell Senators: Women Need Paycheck Fairness NOW
October 6, 2023
Background
THE ISSUE: The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 728/H.R. 17) has been introduced into every Congress since the mid-1990s and NOW believes that women should not have to wait much longer. Passing this legislation would do much to close the gender/race pay gaps that affect nearly all employed women. This is especially notable today on Latinas’ Equal Pay Day when we learn that Latinas are paid 57.5 cents (working full time, year-round) compared to the non-Hispanic, white man’s dollar. At the current rate of change, it will take into the Twenty-Third century for Latina workers to reach parity. We know that women in just about every occupational category are paid less than men – even though in many cases their job responsibilities are substantially similar. Passing the Paycheck Fairness Act into law would go a long way to address the wealth gap and persistent poverty that exists in so many communities.
WHY IT MATTERS: Recent Census information tells us that the gender pay gap for women is now 84 cents compared to the non-Hispanic white man’s dollar – it has been stuck at about that level for years. A typical woman worker loses more than $500,000 over her lifetime due to gender-based pay discrimination. To reduce the pay gap the PFA would limit an employer’s defense that a pay differential is based on a factor other than gender to only bona fide job-related factors in wage discrimination claims. Additionally, the bill would prohibit employers from relying on salary history when setting compensation in hiring, guarantee that women can receive the same solutions for gender-based pay discrimination as are available for race- or ethnicity-based discrimination, promote pay transparency to protect employees from retaliation for discussing wages
THE STATUS: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has promised a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act in this 118th Congress. We think the time to hold that vote is NOW. The Senate bill (S. 728) is sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and has 50 co-sponsors. Polling shows that equal pay is one of the most popular issues with the public regardless of political party.
TAKE ACTION
WHAT CAN I DO? Call or email your two senators ASAP and ask them to urge Sen. Schumer to bring Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 728) to a floor vote NOW and to vote for this important bill that would help reduce financial insecurity for so many women and their families.
HOW DO I DO IT? Don’t know who your Senators are? Go to U.S. Senate: Senators
MAKE THAT CALL – You can then call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your senators’ offices. Another option: send a message via a senator’s official website, just enter her/his name in the search window and the website will appear. Write a short message using the information below.
WHAT DO I SAY?
As a constituent, I am asking you to speak with Senate leadership and ask them to schedule a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 728). This critical bill is needed to fix the gender-based pay gap in our country. For far too long, women have been paid less than men for substantially similar work. Passing the PFA is needed to advance gender equity and address the economic pain that is falling disproportionately on women – and especially on women of color — in the U.S.
The gender wage gap persists. Women continue to be undervalued and underpaid in the workplace, despite being the primary earners in many households. Congress must close the gender pay gap—for all women is 84 cents to a man’s dollar – for Latinas it is only 52 cents. Urge the Senate leadership to set a floor vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act and then vote YES on the Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA), S. 728.
Women should not risk falling into poverty even when they work full-time. In order to build a stronger economy that works for everyone, we must close the gender wage gap. Call your senators and urge them to vote YES on The Paycheck Fairness Act (PFA), S. 728.
Social Media – #PaycheckFairnessAct #PFA #S728 (for Facebook and/or Instagram)