Rep. Foster Marks Equal Pay Day, Calls On Congress To Pass Paycheck Fairness Act

Press Release

Today on Equal Pay Day, Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) called on Congress to take action to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. Equal Pay Day is the day that on average, after three additional months of work, women's wages catch up to what their male counterparts made the year before.

"It's disgraceful that women in the workplace still face such a large pay gap. I'm proud to have voted for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and join those taking important steps to help close the wage gap, because equal work deserves equal pay," Foster said. "But there's still work to be done. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act and will continue to support measures to close the gap until women are getting the fair pay they deserve."

Women in Illinois earn just 77 cents on the dollar that men earn -- a gap of over $11,000 a year. Eliminating the wage gap isn't just a women's equality issue, it will mean more money in the pockets of middle class families. With families' budgets getting tighter each year, recognizing the value of women's work is critical.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would require employers to pay equal salaries for equal work done by men and women and would prohibit employers from retaliating against workers for sharing salary information.

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