It's Time for Equal Pay for Equal Work!
In the year 2023, it’s hard to believe that women, on average, still do not receive equal pay for equal work - but it’s true. Today, women working full time in the United States are typically paid on average just 84% of what men are paid and the gap is wider for women of color. A report by the Human Rights Campaign also found that LGBTQ+ women in the U.S. working full-time earn about 79% of the average man. Over a lifetime, the current gap equals a loss of almost $400,000 per woman over the course of her career. For more information regarding the economic status of women in the Great Lakes Bay Region, check out our 2023 Economic Status of Women Report.
The overall pay gap only decreased by a nickel in the 21st century. Now, assume this pay gap continues to close at its current rate. We will not achieve equal pay until 2093! That means less wages for food, less income to support your family, and less retirement income for your economic future - this is simply unacceptable!
It’s time Congress made a critical course correction for working women and families. Tell your Members of Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act!
The Paycheck Fairness Act takes steps to update and strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and works towards closing the gender pay gap. This bill implements the necessary steps to challenge discrimination and empower employers by:
Closing critical loopholes that allowed employers to justify paying workers unfairly,
Prohibiting employers from relying on salary history to set wages,
Preventing employers from retaliating against workers who discuss or disclose their wages,
Removing legal barriers that hindered access to remedies for employees who suffer from sex-based wage,
Creating negotiation skills training programs for women and girls and
Collecting much needed data to provide greater transparency.
Congress can change the economic trajectory for women - it’s time they act!
Tell your Members of Congress: It’s time to show your support for equal pay for equal work! Stand with us and passing the Paycheck Fairness Act today! Visit YWCA USA’s website to send a letter to your elected representatives or share with others across the country to help move the Act forward.
