A group of senators is asking the Government Accountability Office to examine the impact of the pay gap between men and women on the ability of women to save for retirement. The move came Tuesday, Equal Pay Day. 

“Women workers are a larger presence in America’s workforce than in previous decades. Despite their increasing role, a persistent wage gap exists between men and women,” wrote Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Bob Casey (D-PA) and members Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). “This wage gap leaves women at a disadvantage, harms their ability to save for retirement, and can even reduce the money they receive through Social Security. Congress needs to better understand how the pay gap impacts the ability of women to save and their quality of life after retirement.”

Specifically, the senators asked the GAO to answer the following questions through interviews, focus groups and/or surveys:

  1. To what extent do women report experiencing pay discrimination at work? Are there common themes and circumstances in their reported experiences?
  2. For those who believe they experienced pay discrimination, what do they believe was the cause of their pay gap relative to male employees?
  3. Do women with intersectional characteristics believe they experienced multiple forms of discrimination? If so, do they believe those characteristics resulted in a larger pay gap?
  4. What other factors do women believe led to differing rates of pay? Do they report that other earnings penalties associated with being disabled or being a woman affected their abilities to save for retirement?
  5. For those who experienced pay discrimination, how has it affected their financial security in retirement?

Casey also called on Republican senators to support the Paycheck Fairness Act, which he said would hold employers accountable for discriminatory practices, end the practice of pay secrecy, ease workers’ ability to individually or jointly challenge pay discrimination and strengthen the available remedies for wronged employees.“All fifty Senate Democrats support the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close the loopholes in the Equal Pay Act,” he said in a statement.

Issues such as child care and home care also need to be addressed to “provide a bridge back to work for women who have to leave their jobs to care for a child or relative” and “truly address paycheck inequality,” he added.