US HB1519 | 2011-2012 | 112th Congress

Status

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 197-1)
Status: Introduced on April 13 2011 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2011-05-20 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Summary

Paycheck Fairness Act - Amends the portion of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) known as the Equal Pay Act to revise remedies for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages. Revises the exception to the prohibition for a wage rate differential based on any other factor other than sex. Limits such factors to bona fide factors, such as education, training, or experience. States that the bona fide factor defense shall apply only if the employer demonstrates that such factor: (1) is not based upon or derived from a sex-based differential in compensation, (2) is job-related with respect to the position in question, and (3) is consistent with business necessity. Makes such defense inapplicable where the employee demonstrates that: (1) an alternative employment practice exists that would serve the same business purpose without producing such differential, and (2) the employer has refused to adopt such alternative practice. Revises the prohibition against employer retaliation for employee complaints. Prohibits retaliation for inquiring about, discussing, or disclosing the wages of the employee or another employee in response to a complaint or charge, or in furtherance of a sex discrimination investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, or an investigation conducted by the employer. Makes employers who violate sex discrimination prohibitions liable in a civil action for either compensatory or (except for the federal government) punitive damages. States that any action brought to enforce the prohibition against sex discrimination may be maintained as a class action in which individuals may be joined as party plaintiffs without their written consent. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to seek additional compensatory or punitive damages in a sex discrimination action. Requires the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to train EEOC employees and affected individuals and entities on matters involving wage discrimination. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for negotiation skills training programs for girls and women. Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Education to issue regulations or policy guidance to integrate such training into certain programs under their Departments. Directs the Secretary to conduct studies and provide information to employers, labor organizations, and the general public regarding the means available to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to require the EEOC to collect from employers pay information data regarding the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in the enforcement of federal laws prohibiting pay discrimination. Directs: (1) the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to continue to collect data on woman workers in the Current Employment Statistics survey, (2) the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to use specified types of methods in investigating compensation discrimination and in enforcing pay equity, and (3) the Secretary to make accurate information on compensation discrimination readily available to the public. Directs the Secretary and the Commissioner [sic] of the EEOC jointly to develop technical assistance material to assist small businesses to comply with the requirements of this Act.

Tracking Information

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Title

Paycheck Fairness Act

Sponsors

Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT]Rep. Gary Ackerman [D-NY]Rep. Jason Altmire [D-PA]Rep. Robert Andrews [D-NJ]
Rep. Joe Baca [D-CA]Sen. Tammy Baldwin [D-WI]Rep. Ron Barber [D-AZ]Rep. Karen Bass [D-CA]
Rep. Xavier Becerra [D-CA]Rep. Shelley Berkley [D-NV]Rep. Howard Berman [D-CA]Rep. Sanford Bishop [D-GA]
Rep. Timothy Bishop [D-NY]Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR]Rep. Suzanne Bonamici [D-OR]Rep. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]
Rep. Dan Boren [D-OK]Rep. Leonard Boswell [D-IA]Rep. Robert Brady [D-PA]Rep. Bruce Braley [D-IA]
Rep. Corrine Brown [D-FL]Rep. G. Butterfield [D-NC]Rep. Lois Capps [D-CA]Rep. Michael Capuano [D-MA]
Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D-CA]Rep. Russ Carnahan [D-MO]Rep. John Carney [D-DE]Rep. Andre Carson [D-IN]
Rep. Kathy Castor [D-FL]Rep. Ben Chandler [D-KY]Rep. Donna Christensen [D-VI]Rep. Judy Chu [D-CA]
Rep. David Cicilline [D-RI]Rep. Hansen Clarke [D-MI]Rep. Yvette Clarke [D-NY]Rep. Lacy Clay [D-MO]
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D-MO]Rep. James Clyburn [D-SC]Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]Rep. Gerald Connolly [D-VA]
Rep. John Conyers [D-MI]Rep. Jim Cooper [D-TN]Rep. Jim Costa [D-CA]Rep. Jerry Costello [D-IL]
Rep. Joe Courtney [D-CT]Rep. Mark Critz [D-PA]Rep. Joseph Crowley [D-NY]Rep. Henry Cuellar [D-TX]
Rep. Elijah Cummings [D-MD]Rep. Danny Davis [D-IL]Rep. Susan Davis [D-CA]Rep. Peter DeFazio [D-OR]
Rep. Diana DeGette [D-CO]Rep. Theodore Deutch [D-FL]Rep. Norman Dicks [D-WA]Rep. John Dingell [D-MI]
Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D-TX]Sen. Joe Donnelly [D-IN]Rep. Michael Doyle [D-PA]Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD]
Rep. Keith Ellison [D-MN]Rep. Eliot Engel [D-NY]Rep. Anna Eshoo [D-CA]Rep. Eni Faleomavaega [D-AS]
Rep. Sam Farr [D-CA]Rep. Chaka Fattah [D-PA]Rep. Bob Filner [D-CA]Rep. Barney Frank [D-MA]
Rep. Marcia Fudge [D-OH]Rep. John Garamendi [D-CA]Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D-TX]Rep. Al Green [D-TX]
Rep. Gene Green [D-TX]Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D-IL]Rep. Janice Hahn [D-CA]
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa [D-HI]Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL]Sen. Martin Heinrich [D-NM]Rep. Brian Higgins [D-NY]
Rep. James Himes [D-CT]Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D-NY]Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D-TX]Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI]
Rep. Kathleen Hochul [D-NY]Rep. Tim Holden [D-PA]Rep. Rush Holt [D-NJ]Rep. Michael Honda [D-CA]
Rep. Steny Hoyer [D-MD]Rep. Steve Israel [D-NY]Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX]Rep. Jesse Jackson [D-IL]
Rep. Eddie Johnson [D-TX]Rep. Henry Johnson [D-GA]Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D-OH]Rep. William Keating [D-MA]
Rep. Dale Kildee [D-MI]Rep. Ron Kind [D-WI]Rep. Larry Kissell [D-NC]Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D-OH]
Rep. James Langevin [D-RI]Rep. Rick Larsen [D-WA]Rep. John Larson [D-CT]Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA]
Rep. Sander Levin [D-MI]Rep. John Lewis [D-GA]Rep. Daniel Lipinski [D-IL]Rep. David Loebsack [D-IA]
Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D-CA]Rep. Nita Lowey [D-NY]Sen. Ben Lujan [D-NM]Rep. Stephen Lynch [D-MA]
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY]Sen. Edward Markey [D-MA]Rep. Jim Matheson [D-UT]Rep. Doris Matsui [D-CA]
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D-NY]Rep. Betty McCollum [D-MN]Rep. Jim McDermott [D-WA]Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]
Rep. Jerry McNerney [D-CA]Rep. Gregory Meeks [D-NY]Rep. Michael Michaud [D-ME]Rep. Brad Miller [D-NC]
Rep. George Miller [D-CA]Rep. Gwen Moore [D-WI]Rep. James Moran [D-VA]Sen. Christopher Murphy [D-CT]
Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D-NY]Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA]Rep. Richard Neal [D-MA]Rep. Eleanor Norton [D-DC]
Rep. John Olver [D-MA]Rep. William Owens [D-NY]Rep. Frank Pallone [D-NJ]Rep. Bill Pascrell [D-NJ]
Rep. Ed Pastor [D-AZ]Rep. Donald Payne [D-NJ]Rep. Nancy Pelosi [D-CA]Rep. Ed Perlmutter [D-CO]
Sen. Gary Peters [D-MI]Rep. Collin Peterson [D-MN]Rep. Pedro Pierluisi [N-PR]Rep. Chellie Pingree [D-ME]
Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO]Rep. David Price [D-NC]Rep. Mike Quigley [D-IL]Rep. Nick Rahall [D-WV]
Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY]Rep. Silvestre Reyes [D-TX]Rep. Laura Richardson [D-CA]Rep. Cedric Richmond [D-LA]
Rep. Mike Ross [D-AR]Rep. Steven Rothman [D-NJ]Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D-CA]Rep. C.A. Ruppersberger [D-MD]
Rep. Bobby Rush [D-IL]Rep. Tim Ryan [D-OH]Rep. Gregorio Sablan [D-MP]Rep. Linda Sanchez [D-CA]
Rep. Loretta Sanchez [D-CA]Rep. John Sarbanes [D-MD]Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D-IL]Sen. Adam Schiff [D-CA]
Rep. Kurt Schrader [D-OR]Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D-PA]Rep. David Scott [D-GA]Rep. Robert Scott [D-VA]
Rep. Jose Serrano [D-NY]Rep. Terri Sewell [D-AL]Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]Rep. Heath Shuler [D-NC]
Rep. Albio Sires [D-NJ]Rep. Louise Slaughter [D-NY]Rep. Adam Smith [D-WA]Rep. Jackie Speier [D-CA]
Rep. Fortney Stark [D-CA]Rep. Betty Sutton [D-OH]Rep. Bennie Thompson [D-MS]Rep. Mike Thompson [D-CA]
Rep. John Tierney [D-MA]Rep. Paul Tonko [D-NY]Rep. Edolphus Towns [D-NY]Rep. Niki Tsongas [D-MA]
Sen. Chris Van Hollen [D-MD]Rep. Nydia Velazquez [D-NY]Rep. Peter Visclosky [D-IN]Rep. Timothy Walz [D-MN]
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D-FL]Rep. Maxine Waters [D-CA]Rep. Melvin Watt [D-NC]Rep. Henry Waxman [D-CA]
Rep. Anthony Weiner [D-NY]Sen. Peter Welch [D-VT]Rep. Frederica Wilson [D-FL]Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D-CA]
Rep. David Wu [D-OR]Rep. John Yarmuth [D-KY]

History

DateChamberAction
2011-05-20HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
2011-04-13HouseReferred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Same As/Similar To

SB797 (Related) 2011-04-12 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
SB3220 (Related) 2012-06-05 - Motion to proceed to consideration of measure withdrawn in Senate. (consideration: CR S3714)
SB3256 (Related) 2012-06-04 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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