Op-ed: Women Deserve Equal Pay for Equal Work
Former state treasurer and secretary of finance writes in support of Tim Kaine.
Equal pay for equal work. Seems simple, right? But as with many things in Washington, a bill that would simply ensure women are paid equal wages for the same day’s work is facing stiff opposition from a Republican Congress.
Here in Virginia, women earn 79 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, regardless of education level or occupation. And for those of us who’ve seen their mothers or sisters or daughters work, it’s certainly not for lack of effort or ability.
In an economy where families increasingly rely on the wages of women, this is unacceptable. Currently, more than 371,000 households are headed by female wage earners—so when they succeed, our economy and our state succeed. While 21 cents may not seem like a significant discrepancy, consider that those pennies translate to thousands of dollars each year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. Just think of what a difference that would make in your family’s finances—it could pay for child care costs, help save for college, buy hundreds of gallons of gas, or a bunch of groceries. In these economic times when resources are tight for everyone, women should have every tool at their disposal to ensure they are getting a fair shake.
As a small business owner, I want my employees to succeed and I know the difference every dime can make to balance your books or invest in your future. As a mom, I want my daughters to be afforded equal opportunities in their careers. And as a Virginian, I know that we cannot tolerate discrepancies in opportunity. Virginia is a place where hard work pays off, but we’ve got to ensure an equal playing field.
This is why it is fundamentally important that the Congress pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and that Virginia send a U.S. Senator to Washington who will fight for economic opportunities for women. The Paycheck Fairness Act would seem like common sense to most people. It would prohibit retaliation against women who seek out information about salaries, make discrimination based on gender just as serious as other types of wage discrimination, and help businesses comply with fair practices.
Throughout his life, Tim Kaine has demonstrated that he knows what it takes to support women in their economic pursuits. Whether it was increasing opportunities for women-owned businesses like my own, or fighting for the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Tim has always been there for Virginia families.
Tim is committed to providing women in Virginia and across the country with the tools they need to combat wage discrimination and has clearly stated his support for equal pay. Anyone who is a mom knows that while that will always be our most important job, it’s essential that we have the resources needed to put food on the table, gas in our tanks, and save for our children’s education.
George Allen on the other hand has a record of the wrong priorities when it comes to issues that matter most to women’s economic opportunity. When he first campaigned to go to Washington, Allen opposed overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation that would provide women with recourse to fight wage discrimination. And when he was in Congress, he voted against the Family Medical Leave Act that made sure no parent had to choose between taking care of a sick kid or an aging parent, and keeping their job. Whether it has been opposing child-care tax credits or workplace protections—George Allen’s career in Washington has already shown he hasn’t been there when the women of Virginia needed him. And as he asks Virginians to send him back to the Senate, he has refused to support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act—a milestone in the fight for wage discrimination.
If you’re looking for a Senator who will truly fight for equal economic opportunities for women and has all his life, that candidate is Tim Kaine. The stakes are just too high to take a chance on George Allen’s bad record.
Jody Wagner is a small-business owner who served as State Treasurer of Virginia from 2002 to 2006. She was appointed by Kaine as the Commonwealth’s first female Secretary of Finance from 2006 to 2008.
LeszX
7:17 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
There is nothing "simple" about equal pay for equal work. Sure, we can compare the base salary that two employees are making - but how do you define "equal work". Any two people in the same job - whether it is dishing out french fries, selling software, or doing brain surgery - may be paid differently based on ability, experience, location of the job, shift worked, the employer's financial position, or any of a number of other legitimate factors that go into determining an employee's compensation.
That women in Virgina earn 79 cents for every dollar their male counterpart earn - does not tell us much. There may be valid marketplace reasons for the difference - or perhaps it is a sign that there is some discrimination going on. We cannot know, without studying the details.
What is not needed is another federal bureaucracy that would impose further regulation on small businesses, and second-guess the choices made by business owners. That is the path to diminishing returns for everyone. Instead of increasing women's compensation from 79 cents to a dollar - you are more likely to diminish men's compensation from a dollar to 79 cents, while the women still earn 81 cents, let's say.
The strength of private enterprise is the ability of business owners to make their own decisions based on their perceptions of the market. Shackling business owners with further regulation is folly. The Republicans are right in resisting the "Equal Pay for Equal Work" shibboleth.
MaleMatters
8:55 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Well said and well composed.
I can only detail, which I do at "Will the Ledbetter Act Help Women?" at http://malemattersusa.wordpress.com/2011/12/03/will-the-ledbetter-fair-pay-act-help-women/
Thad Hunter
9:40 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Tim Kaine will always push for a big government solution while attempting to hide his liberal governance philosophy. That is his record.
But I am surprised that you, as a business owner, are supporting this class victimization and entitlement tactic. Only the employer can determine the value that each employee brings to their company. No two people or employees are the same. We each have different skills, career aspirations, reasons for working and who we work for.
Every sane employer wants to keep and motivate their performers. Government meddling in HR policies is just one more reason why companies have sent jobs overseas. These regulations have also caused potential business owners say to themselves, you know what, between the lawyers, government and finding capital, why bother. Furthermore you are advocating for an unconstitutional act of government. Federal government has no authority to impose notions of fairness and engineered equal outcomes.
I suggest you read some Thomas Sowell or since you are focused on women, Ayn Rand. Then go out and grow your business and create more jobs and higher paying jobs by producing superior products and services -- that will help your employees to succeed.
Jim Riley
1:05 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
Worst offenders in the area are Democrat US Senators, in particular the female Democrat US Senators who pay their female staffers as much as 40% less than their male counterparts.