Williams Leads Charge to End Pay Discrimination

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –To reduce the gender wage gap, state Rep. Ann Williams, D-Chicago, is sponsoring legislation to address the pay discrepancies between men and women in Illinois.

“Obviously, we should have equal pay for equal work,” Williams said. “It’s 2017 – the fact that women in the workplace still, on average, earn 79 cents on the dollar to their male colleagues is ridiculous.”

Williams is one of the sponsors of House Resolution 124, designating April 4, 2017 as Pay Equity Day in Illinois. This measure highlights how long women have to work in one year in order to earn the same pay their male counterparts received in the previous year. She is also cosponsoring House Bill 2462, which requires employers to pay women the same as equally qualified men doing the same job. This legislation prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their previous wages, a practice that can lock women in to lower pay for their entire careers. This measure also bars companies from requiring employees to sign contracts that would prevent them from discussing their salary.

“The significance of this issue has not gone away and it must be a priority until we address it head on,” Williams said. “When people do the same job, they deserve the same pay.”