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Statement by Representative Jan Schakowsky on Equal Pay Day


Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–April 9, 2013 – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on Equal Pay Day:

“Today is Equal Pay Day but the effects of the gender gap are felt by women and their families every day of the year. On average women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. For minority women the wage gap is even larger. African American women on average earn 64 cents, Latinas on earn 55 cents and older women, those above 50, earn 75 cents for every dollar. According to a new report in my congressional district, men earned on average $50,890 compared to women, who earned $43,196.

“Equal pay is not just a women’s issue but a family issue. Women’s wages provide 36% of total family income and 1 in 3 women are the sole providers for their families. Whether considered in terms of education, professional training or occupation, women earn less than men.

“The Lilly Ledbetter Act, the first bill President Obama signed into law, overturned the Supreme Court decision that limited when a woman could sue for pay discrimination. We must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act which would improve enforcement, demand that employers prove that any pay differentials exist for legitimate, job-related reasons, and help employers adopt equal pay practices.

“There is simply no justification for the gender pay gap. It is time that we act to make sure that paycheck fairness is the standard in the country and that women are paid equal pay for equal work.”

Source: schakowsky.house.gov

 


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