I am thankful for the opportunity to be a mother. Motherhood is absolutely amazing, but impossible sometimes too. I have a 6 month old and a 2.5 year old – both boys. It’s been hard to do meaningful work, meet their needs, fight the patriarchy (within and without), take time for my spouse and myself, and do all the other things required of adults.
Motherhood has made my advocacy work more important. Seeing my clients through the lens of my own daily struggles makes me want to fight harder against the unfair barriers and damaging policies that they face – including the gender and racial pay gaps.
Join me in contacting your US Senator to demand action on the Paycheck Fairness Act.
Nancy DeVetter, Attorney
9to5 member, Savannah GA
June 10th  2019 marks Mom’s Equal Pay Day – recognizing how far into 2019 that Moms must work to earn what Dads earned in 2018 alone. On average, full-time working moms earn only 69 cents for every dollar earned by fulltime working dads. This adds up to an income loss of more than $16,000/year. We know of course that for moms of color that pay gap is significantly wider.
Without access to policies like paid family leave and workplace accommodations curing pregnancy, many mothers are pushed out of the workforce completely, making the gap in lifetime income even greater.
One of the many solutions to the gender and racial pay gap is the Paycheck Fairness Act , which was passed by the US House of Representatives in March.
Join Nancy in honoring all the Moms you know and love, by asking your US Senators to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.
This law would:
– Protect workers from retaliation for discussing wages with co-workers;
– Prohibit employers from screening job applicants based on prior salary or asking about previous salary during job interviews;
– Require employers to prove that pay disparities are based on legitimate, job-related reasons; and
– Create a negotiation skills training program for women and girls
Women’s wages are key to family economic security: Mothers are now the primary or sole breadwinners in half of all US households with children. One out of four female-headed households have incomes below the poverty level.
Working moms like me can’t afford to be shortchanged by the wage gap. Our families and our communities are depending on us to take action: contact your US Senator to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act!
