March 12 is Equal Pay Day. However, this year isn’t a celebration. Despite the Equal Pay Act’s introduction more than 60 years ago, gender and racial pay gaps persist.

There’s no debate about the enormous value women bring to the U.S. economy. Yet, thanks to systemic sexism and decades of discrimination, women still are paid, on average, 84 cents for every dollar paid to men.  This gap worsens when we include women working part time or seasonally — widening to 77 cents.

This gender pay gap follows women throughout their lifetime, making it harder to pay back student loans, save money to buy a house and plan for retirement.

These statistics are just as true in Southern Oregon as across the country. Women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median usual weekly earnings of $967, or 85.7% of the $1,128 earned by their male counterparts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Fortunately, there are steps to take: Congress could pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill would update and strengthen the Equal Pay Act so all workers take home a fair paycheck and employers have incentives to comply with the law.

Please join us in pressing Rep. Cliff Bentz and Congress to ensure that women are fairly and equitably compensated for their work by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act now.

Regina Ayars, President

Lisa Verner, Public Policy Chair

American Association of University Women of Oregon, Ashland Branch