title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER 20, 2019 AS LATINA EQUAL PAY DAY
WHEREAS, November 20, 2019 is a stark reminder of the amount of time it takes for Latina women to make as much as a white, non-Hispanic man; and
WHEREAS, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits discrimination in compensation for equal work on the basis of sex, while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in compensation because of race; and
WHEREAS, despite our laws, Latina women face a disparity in pay; and
WHEREAS, Latina women are paid just 53 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men; and
WHEREAS, according to the advocacy organization Lean In, the pay gap for women begins as early as age 16 and only grows from there; and
WHEREAS, even though Latina women represent 27.9 million of the U.S. population and Latinxs are driving the American economy with $1.7 trillion in purchasing power, the pay gap affects Latinas across various professional fields and is ironically at its largest for Latinas with advanced degrees; and
WHEREAS, equal pay for Latina women is essential to the economic stability and success for Latinas, their families and their communities; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, hereby recognizes the disparity between wages paid to Latina women and its impact on their lives, families and community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners reaffirms its commitment to closing the wage gap.
end