Today, April 9, is Equal Pay Day. While some steps have been taken to diminish wage discrimination, such as the Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2009, women still only earn less than 80 cents on the dollar compared to men.
The White House has long been aware of the significance of this day. President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963, and President Obama mentioned the issue as recently as his inauguration speech. Granted, no single step can make women’s workplace treatment equal with that of men, but mandating equal pay for equal work is one step down the path to full gender equality. Even when women attend college, graduate, and accept a similar position to their male counterparts, they still only earn 82 cents on the dollar.
Only a legislative remedy, finally mandating equal pay for equal work, can possibly resolve this problem. On April 9 especially, we urge you to bear that in mind.
