Marking “Equal Pay Day” on April 17, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis called it an opportunity to “reflect on the challenges that millions of women — particularly those of color, single mothers and women with disabilities — continue to face in securing the pay they deserve.”
Solis argued that because women often find themselves as their family’s primary breadwinner, they should be paid more:
“In almost two-thirds of families led by single mothers or two parents, mothers are either the primary or co-breadwinner,” Solis said. “Pay equity is not simply a question of fairness; it is an economic imperative with serious implications not just for women, but for their families, their communities and our nation.”
Solis said closing the pay gap requires closing the “information gap.” She credited the Labor Department’s Women’s Bureau for hosting a series of dialogues across the country “to make sure women are educated about their worth and empowered to advocate for it.”
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