According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2013, women who worked full time earned, on average, only 78 cents for every dollar men earned. The figures are even worse for women of color. African American women earned only approximately 64 cents and Latinas only 56 cents for each dollar earned by a white male.
The Paycheck Fairness Act will help secure equal pay for equal work for all Americans. The bill would update the Equal Pay Act of 1963, a law that has not been able to achieve its promise of closing the wage gap because of limited enforcement tools and inadequate remedies. The Paycheck Fairness Act would make critical changes to the law, including:
- requiring employers to demonstrate that wage differentials are based on factors other than sex;
- prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire about their employers’ wage practices or disclose their own wages;
- permitting reasonable comparisons between employees within clearly defined geographical areas to determine fair wages;
- strengthening penalties for equal pay violations;
- directing the Department of Labor to assist employers and collect wage-related data; and
- authorizing additional training for Equal Employment Opportunity Commission staff to better identify and handle wage disputes.
The time has come to make equal pay a reality. During this climate of unprecedented economic uncertainty, nothing could be more important than ensuring that all workers receive equal pay for equal work.
BLOG POSTS
- Executive Action Needed to End Employment Discrimination (2/6/2014)
- Fulfilling the Promise of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2/3/2014)
- Lilly Ledbetter: Celebrating a Champion Still Fighting for Us (1/29/2014)
- Celebrating Equal Pay (And Bacon!) at the White House (6/12/2013)
- Fifty Years Later, Fulfilling the Promise of Equal Pay (6/10/2013)
- Happy 50th Birthday, Equal Pay Act! (6/10/2013)
- ACLU and the Equal Pay Act of 1963: Celebrating 50 Years of Advocacy (6/6/2013)
- Celebrate Women's Equality Day – Support Equal Pay Today! (8/26/2013)
- 18 More Cents… in 50 years (4/9/2013)
- What Would You Do With $11,000? (4/9/2013)
- "Our Journey is Not Complete" – Equal Pay Requires Passage of Paycheck Fairness Act (01/29/2013) crossposted to The Hill
- On the First Anniversary of Wal-Mart v. Dukes: Stand Up or Be Trampled (6/20/2012)
- An Unhappy Anniversary for the Equal Pay Act (6/6/2012)
- The Paycheck Fairness Act: It's Time to Stop the Catch 22 (6/4/2012)
- Paycheck Fairness Act Is Sorely Needed (5/4/2012)
- We Can't Wait For Fair Pay (4/17/2012)
<!--A Sad Day for Equal Pay, But Not the End (11/19/2010)
The Fight for Equal Pay is Not Over (10/8/2010)
Time's Running Out to Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act (9/15/2010)
Waiting for Equality (8/26/2010)
Glee Addresses Equal Pay Day (4/21/2010)
Make Equal Pay Day Obsolete (4/20/2010)
Paycheck Fairness Makes Cents (3/10/2010)
A Milestone with Miles to Go (1/29/2010)
Equality in Our Pay Envelopes (6/10/2009)
This Equal Pay Day, It’s Time to Get Even! (4/28/2009)
It’s Common Cents — Close the Wage Gap for Women (4/27/2009)
Liberty and Economic Justice For All (2/12/2009)
Pay Equity: Restoration and Improvement (2/5/2009)
A Step Towards Fair Pay With a Stroke of a Pen (1/29/2009)-->
ADVOCACY DOCUMENTS
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- ACLU Factsheet on the Paycheck Fairness Act (Updated March 2015)
- ACLU Letter in Support of Paycheck Fairness Act for Senate Floor Vote September 2014
- ACLU Letter in Support of Paycheck Fairness Act for Senate Floor Vote 2014 (Updated 4/8/2014)
- ACLU Factsheet on Anti-Retaliation Executive Order – April 2014 (4/3/2014)
- ACLU Letter in Support of Paycheck Fairness Act for Senate Floor Vote 2014 (4/3/2014)
- ACLU Letter in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.84) for Senate HELP Hearing (3/31/2014)
- ACLU Letter to Congress in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act Reintroduction (1/23/2013)
- ACLU Letter to President Obama on Executive Order Banning Retaliation for Wage Inquiries in Federal Contracting (4/17/2012)
- ACLU Letter on Paycheck Fairness Act Co-Sponsorship (4/7/2011)
<!--Paycheck Fairness Act - Cloture Vote Scorecard (11/17/2010)
ACLU Letter in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act for Senate Floor Vote (11/15/2010)
Paycheck Fairness Act Coalition Polling Data with Graphs 2010 (6/9/2010)
Paycheck Fairness Act Coalition Polling Data 2010 (6/9/2010)
ACLU Senate Letter with Polling Data in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act, S. 182 (7/13/2010)
ACLU Letter in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.182) for Senate HELP Hearing (3/9/2010)
ACLU Letter to the Senate Urging Co-Sponsorship of The Paycheck Fairness Act, S. 182 (7/23/2009)
Coalition Letter to Congress Urging Support for the Paycheck Fairness Act (5/7/2009)
Fact Sheet: Paycheck Fairness Act (4/29/2009)
ACLU Letter to Senate on Paycheck Fairness Act for Equal Pay Day (4/27/2009)
Organizational Sign-on Letter in Support of Paycheck Fairness Act (7/30/2008)
ACLU Letter to House in Support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 1338) (7/30/2008)
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PRESS RELEASES
ACLU Urges Congress to Pass Paycheck Fairness Act (1/29/2013)
Senate Fails To Move Paycheck Fairness Act Forward (11/17/2010)
ACLU Calls On Senate To Pass Paycheck Fairness Act Wednesday (11/16/2010)
New White House Report Highlights Need For Paycheck Fairness Act (10/21/2010)
ACLU Marks Women’s Equality Day With Call For Paycheck Fairness Act (8/26/2010)
ACLU Marks 47th Anniversary Of Equal Pay Act With Call To Pass Paycheck Fairness Act (6/9/2010)
ACLU Marks Equal Pay Day (4/20/2010)
Senate Holds Hearing On Gender Pay Inequality (3/11/2010)
ACLU Marks 46th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act With Call For Paycheck Fairness Act (6/9/2009)
Senators Dodd And Mikulski To Champion Paycheck Fairness Act (5/21/2009)
ACLU And Women’s Groups Brief Senate On Paycheck Fairness Act (4/30/2009)
ACLU Observes Equal Pay Tuesday With Call For Pay Fairness Law (4/27/2009)
ACLU Praises Obama’s Swift Signing Of Pay Discrimination Legislation (1/29/2009)
House Votes on Pay Equity Bills Signal Momentum for Wage Discrimination Safeguards (1/9/2009)
ACLU Urges Quick Passage of Equal Pay Bills (1/8/2009)
ACLU Calls Swift Passage of Pay Equity Bills Strong Steps to Help Protect Wages (1/7/2009)
Paycheck Fairness Bill Necessary to Strengthen Equal Pay Protections (7/31/2008)-->
<!-- TAKE ACTION Urge President Obama to Ban Retaliation in Federal Contracting. Did you know that you can be fired for disclosing your own wages to a co-worker? And did you know that on the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy’s signing of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women still, on average, make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man? The figures are even more dismal for women of color – in 2011, African-American women only earned approximately 64 cents and Latinas only 55 cents for each dollar earned by a white man. Urge President Obama ban retaliation in federal contracting for wage inquires.
Take Action! »-->
SPECIAL FEATURE
50th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act
This year marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's signing of the Equal Pay Act of 1963. This landmark piece of federal anti-discrimination law was one of the very first to address gender-based pay disparities. On the day he signed it, President Kennedy called the act a "first step" which "affirms our determination that when women enter the labor force they will find equality in their pay envelopes." But he noted that "much remains to be done to achieve full equality of economic opportunity."
Learn More »
SPECIAL FEATURE
Pay Equity
The ACLU works to end discrimination in the workplace and ensure that all workers — regardless of sex, race, national origin, age or disability—are able to bring home every dollar they rightfully earn. As a result of discrimination, including employers’ reliance on gender stereotypes, women lack parity with men in earnings.
Learn More »
