Scott, DeLauro Reintroduce Paycheck Fairness Act to End Wage Discrimination
WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) joined Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which 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. Studies have shown that this wage disparity will cost a woman and her family more than $400,000 in lost wages over a lifetime.
“If Congress is to get serious about closing the gender pay gap, we must update the remedies available for those who have been victims of pay discrimination,” said Congressman Scott. “The Paycheck Fairness Act is long overdue reform that is necessary to address the gender pay gap. This bill would put gender based discrimination sanctions on equal footing with other forms of discrimination, removing artificial caps that could limit the deterrent effect of monetary remedies.”
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 – conforming it to damages allowed in other discrimination cases.
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.
“Equal pay is not just a problem for women, but for families who are trying to pay their bills, trying to get ahead, trying to achieve the American Dream, and are getting a smaller paycheck than they have earned for their hard work,” Scott continued. “I thank Congresswoman DeLauro for her tireless efforts on this issue, and I look forward to working with her and my other colleagues to address income inequality in this country.”
The first bill President Obama 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.
The bill has been endorsed by President Obama, Lilly Ledbetter and a coalition of over 300 advocacy groups.
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