Throwback Thursday: National Business Women’s Day

Business, Politics, Rights

September 22 marked national Business Women’s Day. Although its origins can be traced back to the 1940s, Business Women’s Day – which recognizes and honors the contributions of women in the workforce – wasn’t officially celebrated until 1982.

Fast forward to 2014. Sixty-six million women are currently employed in the U.S. labor force and they now make up 47 percent of this country’s workers.

While the numbers are impressive, the path to a paycheck has not been without roadblocks. Discrimination was – and, sadly, still is – a frequent workplace companion. To protect women’s rights, legislators have passed a number of landmark laws. Here, a roundup of state and federal legislation: 

Equal Pay Act

Signed into law by President Kennedy in 1963, when women made 59 cents for every man’s dollar, this act requires that men and women in the same job or with the same job content be paid equal amounts, including overtime and vacation pay, bonuses, etc. The act has helped narrow the pay gap – women now make 77 cents for every man’s dollar – but, clearly, more needs to be done. In fact, many employers get around the act by arguing that the wage difference is due to differing credentials of the employees, different responsibilities and different effort, among other things.  

Pregnancy Discrimination Act

This act, which is part of the Civil Rights Act, makes it illegal for an employer to discriminate against pregnant employees. If the pregnancy prevents the employee from doing her job adequately, her employer must offer her the same opportunities and benefits any other worker with temporary disability is entitled to.

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

This bill, introduced by Pennsylvania’s Senator Bob Casey and endorsed by President Obama, would allow pregnant working women to have reasonable accommodations during their pregnancies (i.e., a stool while standing at a cash register) and would protect these employees from any retribution for asking for these workplace adjustments.

Women’s Economic Security Act

 This piece of legislation, signed into law last May by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, requires, among other things, that state contractors certify they are paying men and women equal amounts for like jobs, extends parental leave from 6 to 12 weeks and sets up programs to encourage female entrepreneurship.

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