Senator Stabenow Co-Sponsors Legislation to Ensure Equal Pay for Women
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2013, a bill that would address the gender pay gap by ensuring women have the ability to challenge pay discrimination. On average, women in Michigan earn 74 cents for every dollar paid to men, and over their lifetime will earn $508,000 less than their male counterparts. More than one million Michigan children live in households that are dependent on their mothers' earnings.
"Whether you're a two-parent income family or a single mom, equal pay for equal work can mean the difference in paying the mortgage, affording child care, or being able to put food on the table," said Stabenow. "It is critical that we continue the work started in 2009 with the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to make sure every American has the opportunity to earn a paycheck based on the job they do, not their gender."
The Paycheck Fairness Act provides tools for women to stand up for themselves when they have been paid less for the same job as a man for no other reason than being a woman. The act also protects employees who discuss or disclose salary information from retaliation by their employers.
Senator Stabenow was also a co-sponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was signed into law in 2009, and provides women with the right to effectively challenge discriminatory pay practices by employers in court.
