Washington- In anticipation of the anniversary of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, MANA, A National Latina Organization (MANA), today urged lawmakers to improve America's equal pay laws and correct practices that undervalue women and minorities.

"The Equal Pay Act is an important law, but thirty-eight years after it's passage, fair pay is not a fact of life for American women and minorities," said Alma Morales Riojas, President & CEO. "Strengthening this law will help to achieve its original goal of ensuring equal pay for equal work," she added.

President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act on June 10th of 1963. MANA supports legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 77) and the Fair Pay Act (S.684) to strengthen the Equal Pay Act. Doing so will help correct the fact that:

• The Equal Pay Act forbids unequal pay based on sex, but not national origin or race; therefore leaving workers subjected to ethnic and race discrimination to seek remedies only under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• The law is complaint driven, meaning a worker must file a complaint in order to obtain her rights under the law, yet the information needed to file a complaint (i.e., salary information) is often held secret by employers.
• Resources for pro-active enforcement of this law are limited.

Most importantly, while fair pay is a matter of justice, strengthening equal pay laws would also have a positive effect on America's economy. Studies found that the average 25 year-old woman will earn $523,000 less than the average man over a lifetime if current wage patterns continue.

"If lawmakers really want to strengthen the economy, they will ensure that over half of our nation's workforce gets a fair paycheck," said Alma Morales Riojas. "We urge Senators on both sides of the aisle to quickly consider the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Pay Act, and to work towards their passage," she continued. "America cannot afford a continued disparity especially when over one-half of tomorrow's workers are women and minorities. Hispanic women, who today earn only 53 cents for every dollar a white male earns, calls for action by every member of Congress who stands for fairness. We are not asking for more, but will no longer tolerate less."

MANA, A National Latina Organization is a nonprofit, advocacy organization headquartered in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. With chapters across the country, it is the oldest National Latina membership organization in the United States. MANA, whose mission is to empower Latinas through leadership development, community service, and advocacy, envisions a national community of informed Latina activists working to improve the quality of life for all Hispanics.