Four years ago this month, I was proud to cast one of my first votes as Congressman for the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This bill, which was signed into law by President Obama on January 29, 2009, restored the right of women and other workers to challenge unfair pay. However, on the fourth anniversary of Lily Ledbetter, there is still more work to be done.
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n 2012, the average woman made only 80 cents to the dollar for performing the same job as a man. In Connecticut, the wage gap was even worse, with women making just 77% of a man’s wage for performing the same work. This discrepancy must change, for the benefit of women and the families who rely on their wages.
That is why I am a sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill allows the victims of gender-based pay discrimination the same claim for civil action as those receiving race-based discriminatory pay. It also broadens pay comparison methods to help victims make their case and protects employees who discuss their pay with each other from retaliation by their employer.
As a father of two girls, I want to leave a better future for my daughters and the next generation of women. As the 113th Congress begins, I will continue fighting for equal pay for equal work.