Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Clinton Campaign Launches "Make Change Count"

Campaign "Wage Gap Calculator" Allows Women to Measure

Today, the Clinton campaign launched a week-long effort, "Make Change Count," to educate voters on the wage gap and Hillary Clinton's leadership in addressing pay equity. Voters can calculate their wage gap on the "Make Change Count" calculator, access a "toolkit" to educate others, and read daily blog posts from prominent national leaders beginning with Rep. Hilda Solis (CA) today (www.hillaryclinton.com/women). Reports show that gaps in wages between women and men persist 45 years since the Equal Pay Act was signed, which was meant to eliminate such disparities. The campaign's focus on pay equity will continue through Equal Pay Day on April 22nd.

"The Equal Pay Act was an important step forward for women," said Senator Clinton. "It gave women a real chance to be full, equal participants in the workforce and to earn equal pay for equal work. Women have shattered so many barriers in the 45 years since the Equal Pay Act was enacted. But we still have work to do to truly level the playing field."

"That means making sure that employers treat men and women equally in the workplace. It also means giving women the tools they need to acquire the pay and recognition they deserve," she added. "I encourage women and men to use the '˜Make Change Count' calculator to see how the wage gap is robbing women and their families of their rightfully earned income."

Throughout the week leading up to Equal Pay Day on April 22, the Clinton Campaign will be hosting events across the country and featuring blog posts by prominent national leaders on the wage gap at www.hillaryclinton.com/women. Today in North Carolina, National Organization for Women President Kim Gandy, Reverend Marcia Dyson, Hillary's longtime friend Betsy Ebeling, and leader Irene Natividad will join women across North Carolina in a statewide "Women's Day of Action." Women leaders will be attending and holding events in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana, and Oregon throughout the week.

Even as women continue to make progress in the workplace, they still only earn .77 cents for every dollar men receive, and the gap is even worse for women of color. Hispanic women earn .57 cents and African American women only .68 cents.

Hillary has spent her entire career fighting for women and families. She knows it is in the best interests of men and women to finally achieve equal wages for equal work. That's why she has led the charge in the Senate to strengthen equal pay laws and end pay disparities between men and women. Hillary introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act to strengthen enforcement of equal pay laws and ensure that the federal government sets a higher standard.

In May 2007, the Supreme Court ruled against Lily Ledbetter who was paid significantly less than her male coworkers for almost twenty years. The Court ruled that victims of pay discrimination must file a charge within 180 days - even though many will not know how much their colleagues are being paid for much longer. Hillary immediately took action. She cosponsored the Fair Pay Restoration Act to guarantee that workers like Lily Ledbetter will have appropriate and timely recourse to wage discrimination so that they receive the pay they deserve.