WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/30/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) helped reintroduce the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen equal pay laws. The bill would also close loopholes so that women can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable.
“Women deserve equal pay for equal work,” said Sen. Smith. “We’ve made important progress, but there’s more work we must do—particularly for women of color. The Paycheck Fairness Act gets right to the root of that work toward full equity and I’m proud to support this legislation for women and their families.”
“The Paycheck Fairness Act is an important next step towards achieving pay equity, and ultimately, true gender equity in the workplace and in American society. The pay gap continues to cost women and their families hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. The impact on women and families of color is especially profound and must be remedied. Gender Justice is grateful for Senator Smith’s leadership on this core issue of gender equity,” said Megan J. Peterson, Executive Director of Gender Justice in Minnesota.
The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen anti-discrimination rules and close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by holding employers accountable for discriminatory practices, ending the practice of pay secrecy, easing workers’ ability to individually or jointly challenge pay discrimination, and strengthening the available remedies for wronged employees. The House legislation has the support of 240 cosponsors (every Democratic Member of the House and one Republican Member) and the Senate legislation has 45 cosponsors.
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