ABC's show Good Morning America just ran a segment on wage and hiring discrimination against mothers this weekend! [1]  And, I was honored to be invited on the show to share what moms in America face every day. But it's not just Good Morning America that's covered fair pay issues recently. The New York Times also ran an article titled "A Labor Market Punishing to Mothers" this month, and an increasing number of media outlets, opinion leaders, and elected officials are paying attention. [2]

This increased media coverage couldn't have come at a better time. The Paycheck Fairness Act is currently hanging in the balance in the Senate after passing the House more than a year ago. Let's use this moment to both educate our Senators about the everyday realities of moms on Main Street and to give the Paycheck Fairness Act a big push.

*Urge your Senators to watch the Good Morning America segment on paycheck discrimination against mothers now, and act quickly to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act in one-click:

http://action.momsrising.org/go/8_24_10_PFA/328?akid=2270.12456.lXcyME&t=5

(Want to see the Good Morning America segment featuring MomsRising yourself? Click here to watch the segment online now: http://action.momsrising.org/go/329?akid=2270.12456.lXcyME&t=7)

Click here to watch the segment

This increased media coverage on the issue of maternal discrimination is important. Few people realize just how very widespread the pay and hiring discrimination is against mothers right now, so moms rising up -- as well as increased coverage by national media outlets like Good Morning America and The New York Times -- builds momentum for passage of critically important legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Why do we need the Paycheck Fairness Act?

Things aren't looking up for women's paychecks now--and the wages of women who are mothers are particularly impacted. On the whole, women working full-time, year-round make an average of 77 cents to every dollar that men make. [3] Women who are mothers make even less - only 73 cents to a man's dollar, and single mothers make the least at about 60 cents to a man's dollar. Women of color experience even more wage hits.

Further, a recent study found that with equal resumes and job experiences, mothers were offered $11,000 lower starting salaries (fathers, on the other hand, were offered $6,000 more in starting salaries than non-fathers).

Since over 80% of women in our nation have children by the time they're 44 years old, this means the majority of women in our nation are touched by this type of wage discrimination at some point in their lives.

Yes, the Maternal Wall is standing in the way of most women dreaming of even a chance at breaking the Glass Ceiling.

Even so, paycheck fairness is not just a woman’s issue. The majority of families these days need the wages of two parents to make ends meet, and getting equal pay for equal work would go a long way toward helping family economic security and putting the nation on the road to economic recovery.

Tell your Senators: Get on the right side of history and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act! http://action.momsrising.org/go/8_24_10_PFA/328?akid=2270.12456.lXcyME&t=9

If passed, the Paycheck Fairness Act will strengthen the 1963 Equal Pay Act because it will:

- Deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties for equal pay violations and by prohibiting retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their own wages;
- Empower women to negotiate for equal pay;
- Strengthen federal outreach, education and enforcement efforts;
- Create stronger incentives for employers to follow the law.

Fair pay is especially critical in this tough economy because more and more women are the sole breadwinners in their families.The average woman loses $700,000 in pay due to gender discrimination in her lifetime. For women of color, this number can be even higher. [4] That’s a lot of cash that would come in handy right now for America's families.

*Don't forget to urge your Senators to watch the Good Morning America segment on paycheck discrimination against mothers now, and act quickly to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act in one-click:

http://action.momsrising.org/go/8_24_10_PFA/328?akid=2270.12456.lXcyME&t=12

And, please also take a moment now to forward this email around to friends and family so they can see the Good Morning America video segment and take action too for paycheck fairness.

Together we have the power to make sure that the issue of unfair pay for moms isn't something our daughters face!

- Kristin, Joan, Mary, Ruth, Donna, Anita, Sarah, Katie, Nanette, Gretchen, Julia, Julissa and the MomsRising Team

P.S.  After you watch the video, please take a moment to share your thoughts on the issue of wage and hiring discrimination against mothers.  Just click this link, scroll down to the bottom of the text on the article page, and follow their directions to comment: http://action.momsrising.org/go/330?akid=2270.12456.lXcyME&t=14

SOURCES:
[1] WATCH - ABC/Good Morning America video segment on the motherhood wage gap featuring MomsRising -or - READ - ABC/Good Morning America news article on the motherhood wage gap featuring MomsRising

[2] The New York Times, A Labor Market Punishing to Mothers
[3] U.S. Census and National Women's Law Center Fact sheet

[4] National Committee on Pay Equity