FROM BOARD ROOMS TO LOCKER ROOMS, ON #EQUALPAYDAY, WORK TO ADDRESS THE GENDER WAGE GAP MUST CONTINUE

Apr 12, 2016
Contact: 
Lisa Gardiner, (916) 651-4019 lisa.gardiner@sen.ca.gov

For Immediate Release

 

SACRAMENTO – Today is Equal Pay Day, the day that represents how far into the next year women must work to earn what men did in the previous year. In recognition of this day, the leaders of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), chair, and Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), vice-chair, released the following statement:

Jackson said, “Last year, California led the way in passing the nation’s strongest equal pay law for women, my Senate Bill 358. But that enormous step forward should not lull us into thinking our work is done. That bill has led many companies to undertake important work in the past few months to review and correct their pay practices. That work must continue, because change cannot come just from the bottom up, from employees, it also has to come from the top down, from employers. We also commend members of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team who have shown great courage and filed a suit before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, demanding compensation and bonuses equal to what their male counterparts make. It’s going to take the work of men and women, together, from board rooms to locker rooms, to close the wage gap once and for all.”

Garcia said, “Equal pay remains a priority for the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. It is an issue that does not just impact women, it also impacts our families and our state, and has a disproportionate impact on Latinas and women of color. Because of the wage gap, our state and economy are missing out on $39 billion a year. This year, the Women’s Caucus is advocating for the passage of Assembly Bill 1676 (Campos), to prohibit past salary history from being used to determine a new salary. This tactic is unfair, perpetuates the gender wage gap and has to stop.”

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