Bennet: All Americans Deserve Pay That Reflects Their Hard Work

Statement

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet made the following statement on Equal Pay Day, which represents how far into the year a woman must work, on average, to earn as much as a man earned the previous year. For example, on average, a woman would have had to work from January 1, 2010 until April 12, 2011, for her wages to match what a man would have earned from January 1 to December 31, 2010.

"All Americans, regardless of who they are or where they come from, deserve a level of pay that fully reflects their hard work. We have come a long way to make pay fairer, regardless of sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion, but this day is a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do. It's unconscionable that this well-documented, substantial discrepancy between pay for men and women for the same work still exists.

"Equal pay for equal work is not only the right thing to do; it's good for our economy. As our economy regains its footing and while families are still struggling to make ends meet, the last thing people can afford is to be paid less because of who they are. An economy that discriminates against women leaves families with fewer dollars to invest, fewer dollars to spend and fewer dollars to save. Hardworking Americans and their families deserve better, and I will continue to work on this issue until I can guarantee my daughters that they will receive the same pay as their male co-workers."

Source