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GOVERNMENT Federal Congress plays a vital role in addressing discrimination in employment. But current legal protections have not yet ensured equal pay for women and men. Congress should act and pass laws like the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would update the Equal Pay Act of 1963. The Paycheck Fairness Act would close existing loopholes in the law; strengthen penalties for equal pay violations; prohibit the use of salary history in employment decisions; prohibit retaliation against workers who voluntarily discuss or disclosure their wages; and support data collection and research. In addition, Congress should take action on the Pay Equity for All Act, which would prohibit employers from using salary history to determine future pay. Additionally, Congress should move forward with the Fair Pay Act, which would provide solutions aimed at curbing the financial impact of occupational segregation for women and workers of color. Congress can also address one of the gap's underlying causes by creating a national system of paid parental leave. The Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act would create a national paid family and medical leave insurance program for all workers. Congress should also make it easier for families to deal with the costs associated with child care responsibilities by funding early childhood education programs and improving access to high-quality and affordable child care. Moreover, strong administrative protections to ensure equal pay are necessary too. However, some administrative actions put in place by the Obama administration are now under attack. In 2016, the EEOC announced a new pay data collection, which would have begun collecting critical wage data based on sex, race, and ethnicity from private employers and from federal contractors with 100 or more employees. This data collection could help the EEOC better identify wage discrimination and encourage voluntary compliance by companies. The Trump administration halted this collection. AAUW urges the administration to reinstate this critical collection. ® THE SIMPLE TRUTH ABOUT THE GENDER PAY GAP 1 Fall 2018 Edition FEDERAL EQUAL PAY LEGISLATION TIME LINE 1918 • Following World War I, the U.S. Department of Labor created the Women in Industry Service to address women's tabor issues and to bring governmental attention to the rights of female workers. This was the predecessor agency to the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau. 1920 • The U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau was founded to promote the welfare of wage-earning women. 1938 • The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was enacted to improve labor conditions and practices for workers by regulating minimum wage, overtime pay, record- keeping, and other labor standards. 1945 • The Women's Equality Bill, the first federal pay equity legislation, was introduced by AAUW member Rep. Chase Going Woodhouse (D -CT). 1961 • President Kennedy established the first national Commission on the Status of Women to address women's equality, which soon after issued a report detailing employment discrimination against working women, helping lead to the later passage of the Equal Pay Act. 1963 • The Equal Pay Act became law, requiring employers to provide employees equal pay for equal work regardless of sex. 1964 • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was passed, barring employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment practices and conditions of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, and compensation. AAUW • www.aauw.org A -aa.