While this bill passed the House with bi-partisan support in April 2021, it failed to pass the Senate due to a party-line procedural, partisanship voting. This is of course a big set back, but the fight for equal pay is far from over. We can continue to call our elected officials, talk to our friends and family, and work towards making lasting change at the federal level. For too long discussing paychecks has been taboo, it’s time to reframe the conversation to give power back to women!
As we continue to deal with the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic and a housing crisis, the gender pay gap continues to persist. On average, we know that white women take home 83 cents for every dollar a man earns, but for women of color this gap is larger. The persistence of the gender-based pay gap goes beyond wage inequality, it also impacts retirement, benefits, economic growth, women’s labor force participation, housing security, and work/life balance.
Equal pay for equal work is a widely popular effort, it is time to pass laws to ensure ALL workers can take home a fair paycheck. A lifetime of pay discrimination adds up, its time to change the math!
Actions to take:
- Contact your elected officials to pass Paycheck Fairness Act – https://www.aauw.org/act/two-minute-activist/paycheck-fairness/
- Write a letter to the editor – https://www.aauw.org/resources/policy/pfa-toolkit/lte/
- Engage in the conversation on social media with #PaycheckFairnessAct, #EqualPay, and #wagegap be sure to tag @AAUW and @AAUWNapervilleareaIL
- Be sure to include photos and personal stories
- Talk to your friends and family to raise awareness about this issue
