Shaheen, Hassan re-introduce "Paycheck Fairness Act"

On April 4 New Hampshire Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan joined 39 other U.S. Senators to re-introduce the "Paycheck Fairness Act."

According to a press release on Shaheen's website, "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." 

"It’s long past time for women to earn an equal day’s pay for an equal day’s work," said Hassan. "Wage discrimination is unacceptable and it strains the financial security of thousands of Granite State families and threatens our economic well-being in New Hampshire." 

Others argue, however, that the gender pay gap is mostly due to the choices women make in their careers: working part-time or selecting jobs with flexible hours and lower pay so they can raise children. 

"The Paycheck Fairness Act rests on a foundation of false statistics and misguided employer-vilifying theories," wrote Christina Hoff Sommers, a scholar at American Enterprise Institute. "It would not advance equality but instead unleash a torrent of litigation that hampers job growth."

Do you support the federal "Paycheck Fairness Act"? Leave a comment below to join the discussion, and we'll present your thoughts to legislators considering this issue. Only comments from NH residents will be counted, so please indicate if you are from NH in your response.