Today on Equal Pay Day, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) joined President Obama and Lilly Ledbetter at the White House to announce new executive actions to remove barriers to ensure equal pay for equal work.

According to a recent report by the National Partnership for Women & Families, the wage gap in Florida is $6,687 a year between men and women who work full time. 

“When women succeed, America succeeds. Eliminating the unfair wage gap means providing financial security for women and families,” Rep. Castor said. “In Florida, if the wage gap were eliminated, on average, a working woman would have enough money for more than a year’s worth of food for her family and she would be more secure in her retirement years.”

“I am a proud cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act and the action announced today will provide greater tools to employees and employers alike to boost equal pay efforts,” Rep. Castor said. 

In January, Rep. Castor signed a letter to President Obama urging him to issue executive orders banning retaliation against the employees of federal contractors for inquiring about their wages. Today’s announcement protects those employees who choose to discuss their compensation without fear of retaliation. President Obama also announced he will sign a presidential memorandum to establish new regulations requiring federal contractors to submit to the Department of Labor summary data on compensation paid to their employees, including data by sex and race.

In February, Rep. Castor announced her support of the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour and increase the federal minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 to $3 an hour. Two-thirds of workers in tipped occupations are women, and today, the White House released a report on the importance of ensuring a robust tipped minimum wage. 

As a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, Rep. Castor has convened with businesses and female community leaders across Tampa Bay to discuss local solutions on income inequality, child care and sick leave.

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