The U.S. House of Representatives passed the inaptly-named Paycheck Fairness Act by a vote of 217-210. The bill now heads to the Senate. The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to expand “effective remedies” for workers who face discrimination in the workplace. 

Leftist groups argue that legislation outlawing wage discrimination, like the Paycheck Fairness Act, is needed to close pay gaps and stop discrimination in the workplace. But that’s not what this bill would do. It is just another bill that sounds good in name only, yet hurts those it is supposed to help. 

  • The Paycheck Fairness Act doesn’t actually outlaw discrimination. 
  • Sex-based wage discrimination is already illegal. Both the Equal Pay Act (1963) and the Civil Rights Act (1964) protect women’s right to earn equal pay for equal work.
  • While  the Paycheck Fairness Act sounds harmless, what you may not know is it would change the legal system to encourage more lawsuits and increase government oversight over businesses compensation decisions, which could actually hurt women. 
  • If enacted, the Paycheck Fairness Act would make paychecks less fair for everyone by requiring that all workers be paid the same, regardless of performance.
  • Rather than actually outlawing discrimination, the Paycheck Fairness Act would instead create more red tape that limit women’s opportunities. 
  • It would discourage flexibility in the workplace, as well as the hiring and promotion of women.
  • The wage gap isn’t a measure of equal pay for equal work. It is a comparison of averages, without regard to profession, education, experience, or hours worked.

We all want women to be protected from workplace discrimination. But that’s not what the Paycheck Fairness Act does. Contact your senators today to let them know you oppose the Paycheck Fairness Act.