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Senate Blocks Paycheck Fairness Act

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A law that would have made it easier for women to file class-action lawsuits against employers for sex-based pay discrimination was turned down in the Senate last week after senators failed to round up the necessary 60 votes to put the bill to a vote. CBS News reports that the Paycheck Fairness Act had strong support from civil rights groups, labor leaders, and the Obama administration, but that Republicans opposed the measure because of fear that such a law would expose employers to more litigation.

The bill was passed by the House last year, shortly after President Obama was elected. The Paycheck Fairness Act would have made it easier for women to file sex discrimination suits against employers because the Act would have required companies to be more cognizant of their pay practices. The law would have also ensured that employees aren't retaliated against for asking how their colleagues are compensated in their paychecks and would have created a new grant program to strengthen negotiation skills for women.

President Obama says that despite last week's vote, his administration will "continue to fight for a woman's right to equal pay for equal work." As stated in the Huffington Post, women working full-time in 2009 were paid 77 cents on average for every dollar paid to men. This translates to men making wages over $10,000 compared to that of women. Any woman that becomes a victim of employment discrimination in the workplace should contact a Houston employment lawyer to learn more information on filing a claim against an employer.

Related Resources:

  • Paycheck Fairness Act Fails in Senate (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life Blog)
  • Find a Phoenix Bankruptcy Attorney (FindLaw)
  • Sex / Gender Discrimination: Overview (FindLaw)

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