[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 1998)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 16875-16876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9172]
[[Page 16873]]
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Part II
The President
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Proclamation 7077--National Equal Pay Day, 1998
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 1998 /
Presidential Documents
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Title 3--
The President
[[Page 16875]]
Proclamation 7077 of April 2, 1998
National Equal Pay Day, 1998
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Americans have always believed in the value of work and
that, if you work hard, you should be able to provide
for yourself and your family with dignity. Today, with
more jobs, low unemployment, and real wages rising,
America's workers are prospering. Yet, there are many
women in the workforce whose work is not being fully
valued.
This year, National Equal Pay Day falls on April 3, the
day on which the typical woman's 1998 earnings, when
added to her 1997 wages, will finally equal what the
typical man earned in 1997 alone. In other words, the
typical woman who works full-time earns just 74 cents
for each dollar that the typical man earns. For women
of color, the wage gap is even wider--African American
women earn only 63 cents for each dollar earned by
white men, and Hispanic women earn only 53 cents. While
women now hold almost half of all executive and
managerial jobs, their wages are only 70 percent of the
average pay of their male counterparts. And, according
to the Department of Labor's Glass Ceiling Commission
report, women in management jobs generally remain at
entry-level and mid-level positions. In part, these
differences in treatment exist because of differing
levels of experience, education, and skill. But study
after study shows that, even after legitimate
differences are accounted for, a significant pay gap
still persists between men and women in similar jobs.
Equal pay not only treats women fairly, it benefits us
all--particularly our Nation's families. It empowers
women to become more self-sufficient, reducing the
dependence of many families on government assistance.
It also raises women's purchasing power, increases
their pensions, and improves their capacity to save,
all of which help to strengthen our economy.
During the past three decades, our Nation has made a
strong commitment to ensuring that every American is
treated with dignity and equality in the workplace.
Legislation such as the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act has helped us make progress in
correcting discriminatory practices. But we still have
a long way to go before the wage gap between men and
women is eliminated. This year, I proposed an
additional $43 million for the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of
Labor in order to strengthen enforcement of the laws
that prohibit discrimination, including wage
discrimination; to encourage mediation; and to help the
EEOC reduce the average time it takes to resolve
private sector complaints. This additional funding will
help all victims of discrimination, including wage
discrimination, obtain relief in a more timely manner.
And the Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor will
continue to make resources available through the Fair
Pay Clearinghouse to highlight model pay practices and
educate employers about the practical benefits of
assuring equal pay for their employees.
As we observe National Equal Pay Day, I urge businesses
and State and local governments across our Nation to
make a solemn commitment to recognize the value of
women's contributions to the workplace and to reward
them appropriately. By doing so, we will help provide
opportunity and promote equality and justice for all.
[[Page 16876]]
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States of America, do hereby proclaim April 3, 1998, as
National Equal Pay Day. I call upon Government
officials, law enforcement agencies, business leaders,
educators, and the American people to recognize the
full value of the skills and contributions of women in
the labor force. I urge all employers to review their
wage practices and to ensure that all their employees,
including women, are paid equitably for their work.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
second day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen
hundred and ninety-eight, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-second.
(Presidential Sig.)
1[FR Doc. 98-9172
Filed 4-3-98; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P