Equal Pay Act

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US Representative Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) issued the following statement marking the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act through his female press secretary:

“Equal pay is not just a women’s issue – it’s everyone’s issue. On the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, we must renew our commitment to ensuring all workers are treated equally. I’m proud to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, which strengthens the Equal Pay Act and helps to ensure women everywhere will earn a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. The fact that women continue to make on average 77 cents for every dollar earned by men is simply outrageous.”
The Equal Pay Act, signed into law June 10, 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, requires employers to give women and men equal pay for equal work. At the time the bill was signed, women were paid 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. Today, 50 years later, women on average make 77 cents for every dollar earned by men.

The Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens and closes loopholes in the Equal Pay Act, including by providing effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work and by protecting employees from retaliation for sharing salary information with their co-workers. In 2008 and again in 2009, the Democratic-led House succeeded in passing the bill, but unfortunately in both Congresses, Senate Republicans were successful in blocking the measure. Crowley is a co-sponsor of the bill, which was reintroduced in January 2013.

City Island Images asked Courtney Gidner if she was being paid the same as her male counterparts in DC. We are still waiting for an unscripted and sincere answer.