Garamendi Joins More than 180 Members of Congress in Reintroducing Paycheck Fairness Act to End Wage Discrimination
Press Release
Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA) joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and more than 180 Members of Congress today in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation which would help close the wage gap between women and men working the same jobs.
"I'm a proud father to five daughters and grandfather to five granddaughters. I want them to inherit a country where everyone is treated equally under the law and in the workplace," Garamendi said. "The Paycheck Fairness Act is important for women in America, but it's also important for their families. In many households, women are the primary breadwinner, and their children deserve to be supported by paychecks that reflect the work ethic of their parents, not the bigotry of their parents' employer."
The Paycheck Fairness Act builds upon the landmark Equal Pay Act signed into law in 1963 by closing loopholes that have kept it from achieving its goal of equal pay. The bill would require employers to show pay disparity is truly related to job performance, not gender.
The bill also prohibits employer retaliation for sharing salary information with coworkers. Under current law, employers can sue and punish employees for sharing such information. In addition, it strengthens remedies in pay discrimination cases by increasing the compensation women can seek, allowing them to seek both back pay and punitive damages for pay discrimination.
The bill empowers women in the workplace through a grant program to strengthen salary negotiation and other workplace skills, and requires the Department of Labor to enhance outreach and training efforts to eliminate pay disparities.
Garamendi added, "In the great experiment that is America, equal treatment has long been a dream our foremothers and forefathers have aspired to, although we've often fallen short. This is about justice, fairness, and opportunity. Equal pay for equal work is an American value, and the time is long overdue to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act."
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