On Equal Pay Day, Higgins Co-Sponsors Paycheck Fairness Act

Press Release

Today, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) joined his colleagues as original co-sponsors of the "The Paycheck Fairness Act," legislation which aims to narrow the gap in pay inequity.

"With National Equal Pay Day as a reminder of the work still to be done to mend the gender wage gap, supporting The Paycheck Fairness Act means standing up for women, children, and working families--something we should all be able to agree upon," said Congressman Higgins. "With this legislation, we are moving one step closer towards ending gender discrimination at the workplace which cripples our country's workforce and economic strength."

The legislation ensures that employers who try to justify paying a man more than a woman for the same job must show the disparity is not gender-based but rather job related and necessary. Protecting workers, it prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who discuss or disclose salary information with their co-workers.

The bill would prevent pay discrimination by making it easier for women to file class-action lawsuits against employers they accuse of gender-based pay discrimination. Furthermore, it strengthens the available remedies to include punitive and compensatory damages, thus bringing equal pay law into line with all other civil rights law.

Earlier this year, the White House released the first comprehensive federal report on the status of American women in nearly 50 years. The results highlighted gender-pay disparity and its effect on American families. Women make up 46% of today's workforce, yet earn only about 75 percent of what men earn--disparity which exists at all levels of education and occupation. Even worse, the effect is felt even deeper in female headed households, making the gender-pay gap not only a women's issue but also a family issue.

Congressman Higgins has a consistent record fighting for gender fairness and women's health initiatives, supporting the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Equal Rights Amendment, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Prevention First Act and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, amongst others. He also helped to announce funding to combat violence against women at Buffalo State College.

About Equal Pay Day:
National Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day when an average American woman's earnings finally match what an average American man earned in the past year.

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