ACLU Marks 46th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act With Call For Paycheck Fairness Act

Legislation Is Needed To Close Loopholes In Fair Pay Law FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: (202) 675-2312; media@dcaclu.org WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union marks the 46th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act with a call for the Senate to pass S. 182, the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that gives employees the legal tools needed to fight wage discrimination. Forty-six years ago tomorrow – on June 10, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, a law that prohibits wage discrimination. Unfortunately, over the last few decades, loopholes and weak remedies have watered down the Act’s effectiveness. Back in January 2009, the House of Representatives recognized the need to update the Equal Pay Act and overwhelmingly passed the Paycheck Fairness Act with bipartisan support. The bill is still pending before the Senate. The following can be attributed to Deborah J. Vagins, ACLU Legislative Counsel: “The 46th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act is a good reminder that the Senate needs to join the House in working to finally secure equal pay for equal work for all Americans workers. Congress needs to close the loopholes in this 46-year-old law by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. “In this economic slump, passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act is essential not only for women, but for all working families. Under any circumstances, single-mother households and families dependent on two wage earners should not have to struggle to live on less than they rightfully deserve. The impact of these pay disparities is felt even more during these times of economic hardship. We urge the Senate to act quickly.” # # #