| Equal Pay Day 1998 |
| Presidential Press Releases |
Part of a series of Presidential Press Releases on the topic of women's history. Brought to you as a service by your About Guide to Women's History.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
- - - - - - -
April 2, 1998
NATIONAL EQUAL PAY DAY, 1998
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
This year, National Equal
Pay Day falls on April 3, the day on which the typical woman's 1998 earnings,
when added to her 1997 wages, will finally equal what the typical man earned in
1997 alone. In other words, the typical woman who works full-time earns just 74
cents for each dollar that the typical man earns. For women of color, the wage
gap is even wider -- African American women earn only 63 cents for each dollar
earned by white men, and Hispanic women earn only 53 cents. While women now hold
almost half of all executive and managerial jobs, their wages are only 70
percent of the average pay of their male counterparts. And, according to the
Department of Labor's Glass Ceiling Commission report, women in management jobs
generally remain at entry-level and mid-level positions. In part, these
differences in treatment exist because of differing levels of experience,
education, and skill. But study after study shows that, even after legitimate
differences are accounted for, a significant pay gap still persists between men
and women in similar jobs.
Equal pay not only treats women fairly, it benefits us all - particularly our
Nation's families. It empowers women to become more self-sufficient, reducing
the dependence of many families on government assistance. It also raises women's
purchasing power, increases their pensions, and improves their capacity to save,
all of which help to strengthen our economy.
During the past three decades, our Nation has made a strong commitment to
ensuring that every American is treated with dignity and equality in the
workplace. Legislation such as the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act has helped us make progress in correcting discriminatory practices.
But we still have a long way to go before the wage gap between men and women is
eliminated. This year, I proposed an additional $43 million for the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Labor in order to
strengthen enforcement of the laws that prohibit discrimination, including wage
discrimination; to encourage mediation; and to help the EEOC reduce the average
time it takes to resolve private sector complaints. This additional funding will
help all victims of discrimination, including wage discrimination, obtain relief
in a more timely manner. And the Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor will
continue to make resources available through the Fair Pay Clearinghouse to
highlight model pay practices and educate employers about the practical benefits
of assuring equal pay for their employees.
As we observe National Equal Pay Day, I urge businesses and State and local
governments across our Nation to make a solemn commitment to recognize the value
of women's contribu-tions to the workplace and to reward them appropriately. By
doing so, we will help provide opportunity and promote equality and justice for
all.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of
the United States of America, do hereby proclaim April 3, 1998, as National
Equal Pay Day. I call upon Government officials, law enforcement agencies,
business leaders, educators, and the American people to recognize the full value
of the skills and contributions of women in the labor force. I urge all
employers to review their wage practices and to ensure that all their employees,
including women, are paid equitably for their work.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of April, in the
year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
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