4/8/14: Equal Pay Day is a date chosen each year to symbolize how far into the current year women need to work to earn the same amount of money men earned during the previous year, according to the National Women's History Museum. On this Equal Pay Day, April 8, 2014, POPVOX is spotlighting a variety of bills related to women's wages.
Last week, and in time for Equal Pay Day, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing the Paycheck Fairness Act (S 2199), which aims to help close the wage gap between women and men working equivalent jobs. The wage gap costs women and their families $434,000 over their careers, according to bill sponsors. The Senate is expected to take up the bill in the coming weeks.
Bills Related to Women's Wages
Weigh in on these bills on POPVOX and share with your friends and networks.
- S 2199
(And HR 377 in the House.) To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex. Would require employers to demonstrate that wage gaps between men and women doing the same work have a business justification and are truly a result of factors other than gender. Would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who share salary information with their co-workers, according to bill sponsors.
- S 168
(And HR 438 in the House.) To prohibit discrimination in the payment of wages on account of sex, race, or national origin. Allows payment of different wages under seniority systems, merit systems, systems that measure earnings by quantity or quality of production, or differentials based on bona fide factors that the employer demonstrates are job-related or further legitimate business interests.
- HRes 507
Women’s Economic Bill of Rights
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of a women's economic bill of rights.
- HR 2452
Women’s Procurement Program Equalization Act
To amend the Small Business Act with respect to the procurement program for women-owned small business concerns.
- HR 951
Women and Workforce Investment for Nontraditional Jobs
To promote the economic self-sufficiency of low-income women through their increased participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations where they currently represent 25 percent or less of the workforce.
Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.
