U.S. Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd, helped the House pass "two bills to help workers, particularly women, who are victims of pay discrimination," The Associated Press reports.
"The Lilly Ledbetter Act would reverse a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that a worker must file claims of wage discrimination within 180 days of the first decision to pay that worker less, even if the person was unaware of the pay disparity," AP explains. "The Paycheck Fairness Act would close loopholes that have enabled employers to evade the 1963 law requiring equal pay for equal work."
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, joined most of her fellow GOP House members in opposing both bills. The first passed 247-171, the second by 256-163.
"Republican opponents of the two measures argued that they would foster lawsuits against businesses and mainly benefit trial lawyers," AP reports. "The Ledbetter bill could reach the Senate floor as early as next week."
10 January 2009
They Voted For You: Wage Discrimination
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2 comments:
If it were true that employers knowingly pay women less than men for the same job, why wouldn't a smart employer fire all the men and hire all women?
Maybe because the whole issue is not equal pay for the SAME job but "equal pay for equal work".
What federal board is going to decide that?
Who get's to decide what constitutes "equal work?" Should pro baseball players be paid more than neurosurgeons? I don't think it's the place of the government or the courts to decide.
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