"An economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. "
-- President Barack Obama, 2012 State of the Union Address
Last week, the Obama Administration launched the Equal Pay App Challenge. We're inviting software developers to help women ensure that they're being paid fairly -- which in turn will help restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.
Right now, if you're a woman in the workforce, it can be surprisingly difficult to answer basic questions about equal pay: what's the typical salary for someone in your position? Should you be asking for more at the negotiating table? What are your fundamental legal rights?
When the Equal Pay App Challenge is over, you'll have information that helps you answer these questions, available right on your smartphone or computer. We believe that the same types of innovations that help you find movie times or get a great deal at a restaurant can help you protect your rights in the workforce.
The App Challenge is just the latest in a series of steps the Obama Administration has taken to secure a woman's right to equal pay for equal work. From the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the very first bill President Obama signed into law, to the creation of the National Equal Pay Task Force, to his continued support of the Paycheck Fairness Act, the President has helped address a gender pay gap that remains far too high.
He has taken these steps because he knows that they help all Americans -- both women and men. Today, mothers are the primary- or co-breadwinners in over two-thirds of American families. When women earn only 77 cents for every dollar men earn, as they do today, entire families suffer.
But the opposite is also true. When women have a fair shot to see their hard work pay off, families benefit. When women succeed, America succeeds.
President Obama envisions an America where his daughters are never limited by their gender. That vision is not yet a reality, and we still have a long way to go. But if we work together -- and we invite America's most creative innovators to join us in tackling this challenge -- then I am confident that we will get there.
Ms. Jarrett, when you write pieces like this that flagrantly fly in the face of reason, you will be called out on it. It's as simple as that. Stop looking to fix a problem that does not exist.
As others have pointed out in these comments, women CAN AND DO earn more than men with the same education and the same experience in the same occupations. What are you doing about that inequality?
I wonder when our president will choose to focus the issues facing our struggling young men. We have abandoned our males are society is going to pay the price for it.
None of this business of comparing one job to another and saying: "This equals that" when it doesn't.
Don't take so much time off. Put in the extra hours at work, even on the week-ends.
Rather give your time to your family? You pay for that when the time for a raise comes around, because you have proven where your interest truly is.
Equal pay for equal production/contribution - GREAT idea!
A woman who works 25 hours a week in a day care earn less than a man working on an auto assembly line.
So what?
How about if you are anyone (regardless of gender) in the workforce???
How do you get these answers???
These ARE NOT gender or pay equality questions!
Someone please tell me what our motives would be to keep womens' salaries lower than mens'? Really - is there some secret club that I don't know about where us men get to split the money saved by companies for paying women at a lower rate?
Liberals in this country are CLUELESS when it comes to thinking that women are oppressed. I would love to see them complaining to a woman in a 3rd world country about how hard it is to be a woman in America.
Valerie, S-H-U-T U-P about this and contribute something useful with this amazing opportunity you have to reach so many people in your position.
There should be an app for that - oh wait there already is, it's called the democrat party.