More Must Be Done to Ensure Equal Pay, Witnesses Tell Education and Labor Committee

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- While improvements have been made to address gender discrimination in the workplace, gender-based wage discrimination remains a problem for women in the U.S. workforce, witnesses told the Education and Labor Committee today.

U.S. Rep. George Miller, the chairman of the committee, convened a hearing today to examine the pay gap between men and women. Today is Equal Pay Day; it signifies the number of days into a new year that women have to work in order to earn the equivalent of what men make by December 31.

"Gender pay discrimination clearly has far reaching implications for America's economy and middle class," Miller said at the hearing. "That's why this hearing today is so important."

U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) were two of the witnesses at today's hearing. DeLauro is the author of legislation to address the gender pay gap. "Pay equity is not just another budget item to be bargained for or bargained away," DeLauro testified. "It is an integral piece of the larger effort we are all part of - an effort to help women gain economic security for themselves and their families."

[To learn more about DeLauro's legislation, click here.]

Catherine Hill, the Director of Research at the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, testified today about a new AAUW study that shows that, one year out of college, women earn just 80 percent of what their male colleagues earn for equal work. Ten years out of college, that gap widens, with women earning just 69 percent of their male counterparts' wages.

"Collectively, women have demonstrated that they have the skills and the intelligence to do any job," said Hill.  "Women have made enormous gains in education and labor force participation.  Now it's time for our paychecks to catch up."

Heather Boushey, a Senior Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, testified today that "[t]he way to strengthen the middle class is to ensure equal pay for women.  Most women are in the labor force, including over 70 percent of all mothers.  Yet, women continue to earn less than men even if they have similar educational levels and work in similar kinds of jobs."

Dedra Farmer, a former Wal-Mart employee who is now a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against the retailer for gender discrimination, suggested that more legal protections were needed to ensure equal pay.

"I hope that you are able to strengthen the protections against sex discrimination in pay in this country," said Farmer. "Most women wouldn't know these pay differences exist and, therefore, would lack the evidence with which to challenge discriminatory pay practices, much less the enormous resources and courage needed to file a lawsuit against their employer."

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