Val Vilott, Outreach Associate

by Val Vilott, Outreach Associate
National Women’s Law Center

On June 10, 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act. At the time, women made just 59 cents to every dollar a man made.

Exactly 47 seven years later, wage discrimination persists, with women making only 77 cents to every dollar a man makes. Now Congress has it in their power to give the Equal Pay Act, and women everywhere, a really great anniversary gift: paycheck fairness!

Passed by the House last year, the Paycheck Fairness Act would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and bar retaliation against workers who disclose their wages to coworkers. The Paycheck Fairness Act is in the Senate’s court now, and we need your help. Tell your Senators that the time has come to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and to finally end wage discrimination against women.

A few weeks ago, we asked you to imagine what a world without the $10,622 disparity in median annual earnings between women and men would look like. Check out our photo slideshow showcasing what a difference that extra money could make!