Human Rights • Starting Over • True Story

January 30, 2019

This morning marked a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of President Obama’s signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which overturned a Supreme Court decision that limited the time period for employees to file lawsuits related to wage discrimination. Trailblazer for her namesake statute, Lilly Ledbetter was on hand to welcome the RE-Introduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act now that it has the support to be on track to become law. As the sign states: Paycheck Fairness Act. Men & Women: Same Job. Same Pay. H.R. 7.  Secrecy and company policies prohibiting wage discussions have made for an earnings discrepancy for a disproportionate amount of women (vs. men.)

At today’s well attended unveiling, speakers detailed the realities of wage discrimination that made clear the reasons that there is a need for legislation to address the matter. The wage gap between women and men has been substantial and continuing over the years. The gap effects not only every day life and what it means for paying bills, but continues to effect workers into retirement. The discrimination seems to begin at the beginning of careers and is never improved by the design of the system in place today by most employers. Disclosing prior salary information seems to prevent advancement and increase in wages. Women of color suffer the most and the gap is so large that a comfortable living is kept out of reach and women are continuously oppressed financially. With the Paycheck Fairness Act it is the aim of 116th Congress that this financial oppression can come to an end and women may be empowered to take control of their lives and careers with financial wage equality when the Same Jobs offer the Same Pay – By law Soon this will be our new reality.