Today Is Moms’ Equal Pay Day

August 7 is Moms' Equal Pay Day when we call out the persistent wage gap experienced by mothers in the workplace.

Numbers don't lie-and the facts are appalling. Moms working full-time, year-round are paid 71 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 63 cents for every dollar paid to dads.

We often hear how moms have to "juggle" their responsibilities to their families and their careers, but this isn't a game. Moms are the backbone of our economy, but pay discrimination, caregiver discrimination, and lack of paid leave impact their pay and opportunities, and limit their ability to advance at work and solidify economic security.

One of the most important ways to address this problem and support mothers is to guarantee child care. A study by The Century Foundation examined the impact of having affordable, reliable child care, and found it would not only reduce stress for families, but also make it possible for moms, dads, and other caregivers to make career decisions based on their own career goals rather than choices made to forestall disaster.

The study found that among parents with children 5 and under, nearly 1 in 3 would increase their work hours, and 1 in 4 would seek a new job if reliable, affordable child care were available. 21 percent of moms who stay at home with their children full-time said they turned down job opportunities because of the lack of child care.

We need public policies that give mothers the same freedom and opportunities to rise in their careers, something that fathers have long been able to count on, thanks to the unpaid care work performed by women.

These include the Paycheck Fairness Act, which protects workers from retaliation for discussing pay, banning the use of prior salary history, and codifying pay data collection, the Healthy Families Act, to provide employees the right to earn job-protected time off when they or their loved ones are sick, hurt, or getting medical care, as well as for needs in connection with sexual or domestic violence, and the FAMILY Act, to ensure that every worker, no matter the size of their employer or if they are self-employed or part-time, has access to paid leave to care for a family member following a serious medical event.

On Moms Equal Pay Day, we recognize the hard work of moms and rededicate ourselves to the urgent need for equal pay for all.