House of Representatives Passes Paycheck Fairness Act

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act today to strengthen protections against sex-based pay discrimination. The bill makes critical updates to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, gives working people the legal tools to challenge discrimination, and provides employers with incentives, training, and technical assistance to comply with the law.

Vania Leveille, senior legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, issued the following statement:

“The passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act in the House is an essential victory in the decades-long fight for pay equality. This bill gives employees the tools they need to challenge the wage gap, and creates a climate where wage discrimination can be addressed. It is also a powerful weapon against sexual harassment, as addressing wage discrimination will help change workplace power dynamics that allow harassment to fester and grow.

“In 2019, wage discrimination must no longer be tolerated. Women workers around the country—especially Black and Latina women, who earn even less to a man’s dollar than white women—deserve better than outdated, inequitable treatment by their employers. The Senate should take up this legislation immediately and ensure that women don’t go another day without making equal pay for equal work.”