Each year it takes until April for an average woman to earn as much as an average man earned in the previous year. In recognition of Equal Pay Day and the need to end wage discrimination, Congressman Gary Peters issued the following statement.
"Despite years of progress towards greater equality, women still find themselves making one-quarter less than men make, even for doing the exact same job. Michigan has the 7th largest pay gap in the nation, with women earning only 74 cents for each dollar men earn," said U.S. Congressman Gary Peters. "Paycheck discrimination isn't just a fairness issue, it's an economic one. It increases the financial burden on families trying to make ends meet, sending their kids to college or saving for retirement."
According to a report issued by the National Partnership for Women and Families, a woman in the Detroit area who holds a full-time job is paid an average of $40,543 per year as opposed to $54,921 per year for a man. This amounts to a yearly gap of $14,378 which is enough money for approximately:
2.3 years' worth of food;
10 months of mortgage and utilities payments;
18 months of rent; or
3,844 gallons of gas
"I'm proud to support legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help achieve equality," Peters said. "As a father, I want to ensure that my two daughters have equal opportunities and to know that their hard work is valued as much as anyone else's and will not be discounted simply because of their gender."
Peters is an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2013, joining 192 Members of Congress in introducing this legislation today.