What: All Issues HR 12. (Pay equality) On passing a bill that would make it easier for workers to challenge wage discrimination/On passing the bill (2009 house Roll Call 8)
 Who: All Members
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HR 12. (Pay equality) On passing a bill that would make it easier for workers to challenge wage discrimination/On passing the bill
house Roll Call 8     Jan 09, 2009
Progressive Position:
Yea
Progressive Result:
Win
Qualifies as polarizing?
Yes
Is this vote crucial?
No

This vote was on passing a bill that would make it easier for workers to challenge wage discrimination in court.  It would require any employer seeking to justify unequal pay to prove that the disparity was job-related and required by some necessity of their business.  It also would prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who disclose salary information with their co-workers.  It also would allow workers who won wage discrimination cases to collect compensatory and punitive damages.

Republicans complained bitterly that the change would invite a host of new discrimination lawsuits by lawyers eager to collect fees. 

It "will breed litigation in other ways as well, from encouraging class action lawsuits to expanding liability," said Buck McKeon, R-Calif.

By a vote of 256-163, the House passed the bill.  All but 10 Republicans present voted against the bill.  All but three Democrats present voted for the bill.  The end result is that the House passed a bill that would make it easier for workers to sue employers for wage discrimination.  It was later paired with a related wage discrimination bill (see vote 9).

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