Gwen Graham celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on Wednesday by spending a “work day” at a Tallahassee construction site.
Graham is challenging GOP incumbent Rep. Steve Southerland in Florida’s Second Congressional District.
Every year, the Tallahassee Democrat takes on full shifts alongside Second District residents, getting first-hand experience with the issues and challenges facing their industries. The annual tradition started with her father, former Florida governor and Sen. Bob Graham.
This year’s Work Day will be Jan. 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the construction site of Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd. in Tallahassee. Graham will work beside Construction Project Coordinator Debbie Baker and Project Manager Curtis Whigham.
Passed in 2009, the FairPay Act established a 180-day statute of limitations for filing pay-discrimination claims, which resets after each discriminatory paycheck.
According to Graham’s campaign, two of the few professions where females can earn more than males are construction managers and supervisors. Wednesday’s visit will underscore the need for gender income equality and acknowledge the contributions women made in Florida’s construction industry.
