President Clinton announced today a plan requesting $27 million to help close the wage-gap between men and women and bolster enforcement of equal-pay laws.
To enforce equal pay laws, Clinton is designating $10 million of the $27 million plan for the EEOC to train some 3,000 employers on equal pay laws and fund 1,000 staff inspectors.
If the initiative passes, it would mark the first time since the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) was given responsibility for enforcing equal pay laws in 1998 that the agency would have money to train equal pay inspectors.
Women currently earn 75 cents for every $1 men earn. The president’s domestic policy advisor Bruce Reed said “We want to make sure that the employers and employees all understand their rights and responsibilities on equal pay.”
The president also is asking Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, (D-SD) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CN). That bill would strengthen existing laws prohibiting wage discrimination.
