All Americans should earn equal pay for equal work!
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 14, 2015—Today is National Equal Pay Day, which once again gives us the opportunity to publicly affirm our support for a comprehensive Fair Pay Act, as well as to forward the discussion of women’s economic inclusion in general.
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization dedicated to expanding economic opportunities for LGBT people. In this role, we have learned that inclusion and equality for some cannot come at the expense of others. This is why we are dedicated to working with other diverse segments of the business community to forward a common goal. In 2011 NGLCC spearheaded and launched the National Business Inclusion Consortium in order to advocate for the business interests of a diverse range of people. We are proud to have both the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and WEConnect International as partners in this coalition. Both organizations work tirelessly to forward economic opportunities for women, both domestically and around the globe.
Of course, equal pay for women is a fundamental concern for the LGBT community; lesbian, bisexual and trans women often face the dual barriers of sexism and homophobia/transphobia. These barriers frequently stop incredible people from reaching their full potential and achieving economic stability. 42% of our certified LGBTBEs are lesbian-owned businesses, operated by women who are talented, smart, hard-working, and demonstrate the very obvious fact that women perform equally to men in the workplace. But not every woman is a business owner and not every woman is her own boss — an employee should never be paid less because of her sex or gender identity.
Now is the time to take action. In 2015 it seems inconceivable that hard working Americans can still be paid less simply for being women. The first step is to pass a comprehensive federal Fair Pay Act. In 2009 NGLCC endorsed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which gave employees expanded legal recourse when they believed they were the victims of discriminatory pay practices. But the law doesn’t go far enough and is only effective after pay discrimination has occurred. What is needed is an expanded Fair Pay Act, which tackles the systematic causes of pay discrimination. NGLCC was one of the few business organizations to support this effort in the last Congress. Today we call on lawmakers to introduce and pass the bill in this 114th Congress. This shouldn’t be a difficult premise. This bill is important if you believe in equal pay for equal work. It is a simple matter of fairness. NGLCC affirms equal pay for equal work.
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The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT owned businesses. www.nglcc.org
MEDIA CONTACT:
Adam Shapiro
202-427-3603
