HR0714LRB103 40322 ECR 72468 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The future of our nation's productivity and 
3competitiveness in the global marketplace depends on the 
4success of all men and women; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Women have been discriminated against in 
6education, the workplace, and society as a whole; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Women continue to earn no more than 80 cents on 
8the dollar compared to men; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The wage gap is even greater for most women of 
10color; Asian American women earn 99 cents, Native Hawaiian and 
11Pacific Islander women earn 66 cents, African American women 
12earn 64 cents, and Latina women earn 57 cents for every dollar 
13earned by a man; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day, representing all women, is 
15celebrated this year on March 12; Equal Pay Day was originated 
16by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996 as a public 
17awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and 
18women's wages; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The pay gap has been shown to start as soon as one 
20year after college; this inequality affects not only women but 
 
 
HR0714- 2 -LRB103 40322 ECR 72468 r

1their families and society as a whole; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The pay gap between women and men has long-term 
3effects on women's economic security; such a gap affects 
4women's Social Security earnings, their ability to save for 
5retirement, and their children's education; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Pay equity is closely linked to the eradication 
7of poverty and is essential to having a highly-motivated 
8workforce; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the year a 
10woman must work, on average, to earn as much as a man earned 
11the previous year, with Tuesday being the day in which women's 
12wages catch up to men's wages from the previous week; because 
13women earn less on average than men, they must work longer for 
14the same amount of pay; this wage gap is even greater for most 
15women of color; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Equal pay is a priority for all women and for our 
17society at large; therefore, be it
 
18    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
19HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
20we declare March 12, 2024 as Pay Equity Day in the State of 
21Illinois; and be it further
 
 
 
HR0714- 3 -LRB103 40322 ECR 72468 r

1    RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of this State to 
2learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to 
3learn about these various dates that bring attention to the 
4pay gap that specific groups experience.