Fighting for Equal Pay, Not Trial-Lawyer Handouts

Statement

In 1963 and 1964, Congress passed a series of acts making it illegal to pay employees different wages on the basis of sex and for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. These important laws laid the foundation for the modern-day workplace and stated unequivocally that discrimination will not be tolerated.

These laws didn't produce a discrimination-free world overnight; however, with each passing decade we have seen incredible progress and greater equality so that today, as a result of those who have gone before and as a result of strong economic policy, women have more employment opportunities than ever before. That's why it's unacceptable that legislation Democrats are marketing as a women's equality bill, H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, does nothing to support women in the workplace.

"It may come as a surprise to some that the Paycheck Fairness Act offers no new protections against pay discrimination," Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL) said in his opening statement at the day's hearing on H.R. 7.

"Instead of treating sex discrimination charges with the seriousness they deserve, the Paycheck Fairness Act will make it easier for lawyers to pursue lawsuits of questionable validity for the purpose of siphoning off unlimited paydays from settlements and jury awards, lining their own pockets and dragging women through tedious, never-ending legal dramas," Byrne went on to say.

Ms. Camille Olson of the Seyfarth Shaw law firm testified that the proposed legislation could prevent employers from making important hiring decisions and would fail to generate greater pay equity.

"Compensation is dynamic and complex; driven by job, business and local and national economic factors," Olson said. "Employers place different values on worker skills, experience, education, certifications and abilities . . . H.R. 7, if passed in its current form, would not ensure greater equal pay compliance but would, instead, blunt the very diversity that is a core asset of the United States' economy."

Instead of promoting a "one-size-fits-all" mandate that benefits trial lawyers and leaves working women behind, we should focus on continuing to strengthen our national economy that is providing incredible economic opportunity to working women.

"The American workforce is comprised of more women than ever before -- 74.9 million women. Of the 2.8 million jobs created in the past year, more than 58 percent have been filled by women. The number of women-owned employer firms continues to rise, and Census data shows that women own about 1 in 5 employer businesses nationwide," Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in his opening statement.

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