STATEMENT
SENATE DEMOCRATS USE A FICTITIOUS HOLIDAY – “EQUAL PAY DAY” – TO PUSH A MISLEADING BILL – THE “PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT” – WITH A HOLLOW PROMISE TO WOMEN
(Washington, D.C.) — Today, the White House, Democrats in Congress, and feminist organizations on the left celebrate “Equal Pay Day” and use the pseudo holiday to market the “Paycheck Fairness Act.” In a continued effort to set the record straight Independent Women’s Forum releases the following statements:
Sabrina Schaeffer, executive director of the Independent Women's Forum:
“Today, April 8th, marks ‘Equal Pay Day,’ a fictitious holiday liberal women’s groups have manufactured to try to expose the so-called wage gap. Even though we know that when economists control for any number of important factors – such as college major, work experience, time spent out of the workplace – the pay gap shrinks to almost nothing, the president, Democratic lawmakers, and progressive activists continue to use this faulty statistic – and this faux holiday – to justify growing government in the name of protecting women.
“But it's time to expose this day for what it really is. It's not a day to celebrate equality, but to perpetuate the idea that society is hostile toward women and to encourage the growth of the state.
“There is a positive story to tell about women and girls today, and we ought to replace ‘Equal Pay Day’ with 'Grow the Economy Day.' Because the best way to ensure fair and equal wages is through robust economic growth and job creation so that men and women have greater opportunity.
“That's why it's fitting that Senate Democrats have chosen this occasion to push the “Paycheck Fairness Act," which is also misleadingly named, since it will do nothing to promote fairness and certainly won't help more women get a paycheck.”
Carrie Lukas, managing director of the Independent Women's Forum:
“The ‘Paycheck Fairness Act’ is being sold as if it would help women earn more, but the bill's sponsors rarely mention what the legislation would actually do. That's probably because the legislation's focus isn't increasing economic opportunity for women, it's facilitating more lawsuits against employers.
“Under the ‘Paycheck Fairness Act,’ employees would be force to opt out of, rather than into, class action suits, making it easier for lawyers to get a class certified and increasing the potential for a jackpot award. It would lift the caps on punitive damages for other lawsuits. It would also limit how employers could justify their compensation decisions, making it so almost any decision would leave them exposed to a potential claim. That means that employers would move toward more rigid, one-size-fits-all compensation packages, and they may even try to reduce their workforce to limit their legal exposure. That's bad news for women who value flexibility and want more job opportunities.
“Americans should ask themselves if they really think what women and the economy need is more class action suits and fewer jobs, because that's what the 'Paycheck Fairness Act' will deliver.”
Also from Independent Women's Forum
VIDEO: Straight Talk About the Wage Gap
Q&A: A Guide to the "Paycheck Fairness Act"
INFOGRAPHIC: Why The “Paycheck Fairness Act” Won’t Advance Equal Pay for Women
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Independent Women's Forum works to improve the lives of Americans by increasing the number of women who value free-markets and personal liberty.
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