Chavez and Cortese Fight for Gender Pay Equity

Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the fight for gender pay equity is far from over. Currently, full-time working women make an average of 77 cents on the dollar when compared to their male counterparts. Sadly, the gender pay gap is worse for minorities, with African American women earning 64 cents and Latinas earning 56 cents for every dollar earned by a Caucasian man. By not receiving “equal pay for equal work”, women have more difficulty providing for their families and, over their lifetime of work, have less retirement on which to survive.  Women, who make up nearly half of the workforce and are often the primary breadwinners, take home a smaller check simply because of their gender.

The County of Santa Clara is taking the gender pay gap issue head-on and again serving as a leader in setting the Silicon Valley’s employment standards. Yesterday, Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Dave Cortese directed the County Executive and County Counsel to research and prepare a draft gender pay equity ordinance that would apply to county contracts and county employees. Clearly, they understand the importance of providing equal wages to women and men who do substantially equal work.

The consequences of the gender pay gap are long-lasting and significant. To put it in perspective, in 2011, the average 25 year old woman made approximately $5,000 less than her same-age male counterpart.  According to the U.S. Census data, by age 65, that earning gap would result in $431,000 in lost wages over her working lifetime.

How can we tell our daughters, granddaughters, sisters and nieces that they are capable, smart, productive members of society if based on their gender alone they will be discriminated against every payday? Women deserve equal pay for equal work. Period.

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