Equal Pay

It’s time for Congress to stand up for the rights of working women and to advance fair pay. On behalf of a broad coalition of organizations that promote economic opportunity for women and full enforcement of antidiscrimination laws, we urge you to co-sponsor and work to swiftly pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

American women who work full-time, year-round are paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. But the wage gap is even larger for many women of color, with African-American women making only 62 cents, and Hispanic women only 54 cents, for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. These gaps translate into a loss of $19,575 for African-American women and $23,873 for Hispanic women every year. Closing the wage gap is, therefore, particularly important for African-American and Hispanic women, who are already more likely to have lower incomes and to be in poverty than any other group.