SCHUMER: GROUNDBREAKING & AUTHORITATIVE REPORT SHOWS MALE NURSES EARN $5,100 MORE THAN WOMEN FOR DOING THE SAME JOB; SENATOR SAYS NEW REPORT PROVES NO JOB—OR INDUSTRY—SHIELDS WOMEN FROM MAKING LESS FOR DOING THE SAME WORK; SCHUMER URGES DOUBLING DOWN ON ‘PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT’ TO CLOSE PAY GAP HOLDING BACK WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

On Average, Women Make 78 Cents For Every Dollar Made By Men—Journal Of American Medical Association Proves Pay Gap Even Exists In Fields Dominated By Women, Like Nursing  

Schumer Pay Equity Plan Would Make It More Difficult For Pay Gaps To Occur & Stops Employers From Being Able To Punish Workers For Comparing Wages

Schumer: Not Even The Nursing Profession Has Pay Gap Immunity & That Should Make Americans Sick, Especially Here In New York     

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today, standing alongside nurses in New York, urged Congress to pass the ‘Paycheck Fairness Act,’ which will help end unfair wage disparities among men and women in equal work. Schumer today said that, on average, women make 78 cents for every dollar made by men. In addition, there is a large and shocking wage disparity among nurses. For instance, a recent New York Times article reported that male nurses make approximately $5,100 more on average per year than female nurses, even though the profession itself is dominated by women. Schumer explained how his plan will make it more difficult for pay inequity to occur and how it stops employers from being able to punish workers for comparing wages. Overall, the ‘Paycheck Fairness Act’ will close loopholes that unfortunately allow pay discrimination to continue, while providing employees with the rights they need to challenge pay discrimination in the workplace. Specifically, the plan allows women to seek damages in the case of discrimination, keeping the court house door open. This would help make up for potential losses victims of pay discrimination might incur.

“A groundbreaking, authoritative report this week shows that no woman is shielded from paycheck inequity, not even in the nursing profession, which hinges on women for success,” said Senator Schumer. “It’s shocking that even today, in the year 2015, women are not being treated as equals in the workplace and are making far less than their male counterparts. The bottom line is—equal pay is not a women’s issue; it’s an American issue and now’s the time end unfair wage disparities in the workplace.” 

Schumer continued, “Nothing should get in the way of Congress passing the ‘Paycheck Fairness Act,’ and I’m going to do all I can to ensure it doesn’t. This plan will help promote equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender. This legislation will also give employees a leg-up in the fight against unfair pay gaps in the workplace. I pledge to fight, not only as a Senator, but as a father of two daughters, for equal pay in the workplace.”

According to a just-released groundbreaking Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study, pay inequality exists in the nursing profession. A recent New York Times article noted that male nurses make $5,100 more on average per year than female nurses. The wage gap also varied across medical specialties. For instance, the article noted that male cardiology nurses were paid approximately $6,000 more than their female colleagues in cardiology and male nurses in chronic care were paid approximately $3,800 more than their female colleagues in those specialties. Moreover, male nurse anesthetists were paid approximately $17,290 more on average per year than female nurse anesthetists.

Schumer today urged Congress to pass the ‘Paycheck Fairness Act,’ a bill introduced by Senator Barbara Mikulski, which amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, known as the ‘Equal Pay Act,’ to revise remedies for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages. In 2009, President Obama signed the ‘Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,’ which overturned the 180-day statute of limitations for women to contest pay discrimination. The ‘Paycheck Fairness Act’ would close the loopholes that allow pay discrimination to continue in the first place and, with the ‘Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,’ provide employees the rights they need to challenge and eliminate pay discrimination in the workplace.

Specifically, the legislation prohibits employer retaliation for sharing salary information with coworkers because shockingly, employers are currently allowed to sue and punish employees for sharing such information.  In addition, the legislation strengthens remedies for pay discrimination by increasing compensation women can seek and allowing women to seek both back-pay and punitive damages for pay discrimination. The legislation also requires the U.S. Department of Labor to enhance outreach and training efforts to eliminate pay disparities.

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