H.R. 7 · 117th Congress
Equal pay enforcement
Paycheck Fairness Act
What it does
Tightens the Equal Pay Act: employers must justify pay gaps by job-related factors, workers may discuss pay without retaliation, and salary history cannot be used to set wages.
Outcome
Passed the House on April 15, 2021. Blocked in the Senate.
The test
| Pillar | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Who lobbied for it, and who against? | Helps Americans | Opposed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NFIB; backed by worker and women's groups. |
| Freedom | Does it protect or erode privacy, anonymity, speech, due process and the right to organize or sue? | Helps Americans | Protects workers who discuss their pay and preserves the right to sue. |
| Everyday life | Does it protect or undercut American jobs, wages and public safety? | Helps Americans | Raises wages for underpaid workers. |
Votes counted: House 217–210 on Apr 15, 2021. Each member's page shows how they voted.