January 31, 2012, Washington, D.C. — Upon the third anniversary of the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by President Obama, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) yesterday called upon Congress to complete the task of ensuring workplace equality by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act. NCJW CEO Nancy K. Kaufman released the following statement:
“Three years ago this week, NCJW was there as President Obama signed into the law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which reversed a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that deprived Lilly Ledbetter of the right to sue her employer based on a flawed interpretation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The Ledbetter law marked an important step forward in the pursuit of equal pay for women. But women still earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. Clearly, Congress has not yet finished its job. Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen and update the 1963 Equal Pay Act is long overdue. The Paycheck Fairness Act, under consideration for decades, passed the House in 2009, only to be narrowly denied a cloture vote by a minority of senators in November of 2010.
“NCJW has long supported the Paycheck Fairness Act, and we join with those calling for its enactment, including Lilly Ledbetter herself. Now in a time of continuing economic stress, it is even more important for the well-being of American families that women receive equal pay for equal work. The fact that the reforms promised by the Paycheck Fairness Act are still languishing in Congress is a disgrace to our nation’s promise of equality.”
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.
