U.S. Reps Host Equal Pay Day Roundtable

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – This year marks 50 years since President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and yet today in 2013, women still earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man.

Tuesday, April 9 is National Equal Pay Day, representing the date in the current year through which women must work to match what men earned in the previous year. It reminds us of the work still ahead in order to achieve equity and an America where everyone gets an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work.

The challenge of balancing work and family has also been in the news lately, and to talk about that and other issues, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) and Ted Deutch (FL-21) joined with Corporate Voices for Working Families and local businesses for a roundtable discussion on Tuesday, April 9 at the Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club. Leaders from national and South Florida businesses and organizations came together to talk about equal pay, workplace flexibility, teleworking, paid leave, financial security, and other issues.

“As we pause to recognize Equal Pay Day, we acknowledge that we’ve made great strides since 1963, but our work is not yet done,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “It is time to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, to recognize the value of working women, and to ensure fair and equitable workplaces in America.

“This morning’s roundtable discussion was important to figure out where we are now and how we can work together toward pay equity and create flexible work environments for all employees. I look forward to the day when parents in America can tell their children that they can be anything they want when they grow up – and be compensated fairly for it.”

The moderator for the roundtable was Donna Klein, the Executive Chair and CEO of Corporate Voices for Working Families, the leading national business membership organization shaping conversations and collaborations on public and corporate policy issues involving working families.