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VIDEO: Hawaii County Marks Equal Pay Day
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by Big Island Video News
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STORY SUMMARY

HILO (BIVN) - A mayoral proclamation was read before the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday.

HILO, Hawaii – Equal Pay Day was recognized in Hawaii County on Tuesday with a mayoral proclamation and a council presentation.

Equal Pay Day, held April 4 in the United States, is dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap.

Elizabeth Hansen of the Hilo Branch of the American Association of University Women says the pay gap is in Hawaii is smaller (corrected) than the national average.

Hansen read the proclamation from Mayor Harry Kim before the start of the Hawai’i County Governmental Relations and Economic Development Committee.

Meanwhile in Washington D.C., Hawaii’s Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard marked Equal Pay Day as well, and cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
on April 4, 2017

Press Release

Washington, DC — In recognition of Equal Pay Day, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). The legislation would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and guarantee that women can challenge pay discrimination and hold employers accountable.

“Wage discrimination affects women and hard working families trying to pay their bills and put food on the table. Our laws have long supported equal pay for equal work, yet the realities experienced by working women don’t reflect what exists on paper. According to the National Partnership for Women & Families, working women in Hawaiʻi make just 84 cents for every dollar paid to men—creating a wage gap of more than $7,000 each year. The Paycheck Fairness Act will level the playing field for women by increasing protections for employees and strengthening their ability to challenge pay discrimination under the law.”

Background: The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen and close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by holding employers accountable for discriminatory practices, ending the practice of pay secrecy, easing workers’ ability to individually or jointly challenge pay discrimination, and strengthening the available remedies for wronged employees.