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Rosewood Hotels manager Bonnie Gil interviews a potential employee during a Rosewood Hotels and Resorts job fair February 8, 2009 in Menlo Park, California.

Tuesday was Equal Pay Day, marking the extra months a woman must work on average to catch up to her male coworkers’ wages from the previous year. Despite the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which extended the amount of time victims have to file discrimination cases, the fact remains: women are paid only 77 cents on average for every dollar paid to men. Advocates say more needs to be done to address this disparity and that the Senate should pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close loopholes in the EPA and bar retaliation against workers who discuss their salaries. Why does the wage gap persist? Does our culture discourage women from seeking equal pay? How much can be attributed to salary secrecy? And would the Paycheck Fairness Act improve things for women who are bringing home the bacon?

Guests:

Lisa Maatz, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations, American Association of University Women (AAUW) and advocate for the Paycheck Fairness Act

James Sherk, Senior Policy Analyst in Labor Economics, The Heritage Foundation

Dianna Johnston, Assistant Legal Counsel, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)