For Immediate Release
July 31, 2008 |
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Levin Statement in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act |
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(Washington D.C.)- U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak) made the following floor statement in support of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act.
In 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law in order to promote workplace equality for women. Since then, women have made great gains in workforce participation, compensation, and advancement, but a significant wage gap still exists between women and men. Women working full-time year-round earn on average 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. The wage gap is even wider in Michigan: On average, women in Michigan are paid only 67 cents for every dollar earned by a man.
Wage discrimination is not just a women's issue--it is a family issue. With a majority of American households depending on two incomes to make ends meet, the wage gap is more relevant than ever. The current pay disparity may cost a woman anywhere from $400,000 to $2 million in lifetime earnings relative to a man performing equivalent work. The cost is often borne not just by an individual, but by all the members of the household who rely on that income. Congress must respond to this injustice.
The Paycheck Fairness Act updates and strengthens the Equal Pay Act in light of more than 45 years of real-world experience. Courts have interpreted the Equal Pay Act more narrowly than other employment discrimination laws, counter to the intent of Congress. The Paycheck Fairness Act clarifies that the factors used by employers to justify wage disparities must be related to the employee's work or to the business. The bill also redefines the standard for comparing employees' compensation, reducing a frequently prohibitive burden of proof for plaintiffs.
Data collection is key to tracking women's relative compensation in the workplace, but the federal agencies charged with enforcing employment discrimination laws have little information about wage disparities. The Bush administration, furthermore, has halted or tried to halt many efforts to collect data. The Paycheck Fairness Act ensures that the Bureau of Labor Statistics will collect data on wage disparities, and it requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to offer guidance in order to enhance enforcement of federal law. These measures will help shed light on wage discrimination that would otherwise go unseen.
This legislation takes vital steps toward realizing the goals established 45 years ago in the Equal Pay Act. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.
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To Contact Congressman Levin: -
Email Congressman Levin In Michigan: 27085 Gratiot Ave, Roseville, MI 48066 | (586) 498-7122 | (248) 968-2025
In Washington: 1236 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 | (202) 225-4961
