; Whereas the wage gap impacts women’s ability to save for retirement and women’s total Social Security and pension benefits, and older women are more likely than men to live in poverty; Whereas sex-based wage differentials reduce family incomes and contribute to the higher poverty rates among women and their families; Whereas a wage gap exists in nearly every occupational field, but opening traditionally male-dominated jobs to women and reducing occupational segregation by sex increases earnings for women; Whereas nearly two-thirds of workers paid the minimum wage or less are women, and the concentration of women in low-wage jobs is a significant contributor to the wage gap; Whereas the gender wage gap between union women and men is about two-thirds the size of the wage gap between nonunion women and men, and women union members typically earn $191 more per week than women who are not represented by unions; Whereas two-thirds of private sector workers report that employers either prohibit or discourage them from discussing their pay, which can keep the existence of pay discrimination hidden and prevent remedying that discrimination; Whereas the lack of family friendly policies, such as access to affordable, quality childcare, paid family and medical leave, paid sick days, and fair and predictable work schedules, forces many caregivers to choose between providing for their families financially and ensuring their loved ones receive quality care, and contributes to the wage gap; Whereas 1 in 3 women have been on the receiving end of sexual harassment during their careers, and an estimated 87 to 94 percent of those who experience sexual harassment never file a formal complaint; Whereas workplace harassment forces many women to leave their occupation or industry, or pass up opportunities for advancement, and this contributes to the gender wage gap; Whereas equal pay strengthens the economic security of families and enhances retirement savings