Biden urges private companies to help narrow gender pay gap

By FATIMA HUSSEIN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden marked Equal Pay Day by spotlighting new steps aimed at closing the gender pay gap for federal workers and contractors. And he urged private companies to do likewise. Biden issued an executive order that encourages the government to consider banning federal contractors from seeking information about job applicants’ prior salary history. The Labor Department also issued a directive aimed at strengthening federal contractors’ obligations to audit payrolls to help guard against pay disparities based on gender, race or ethnicity. Biden said he hopes that private companies follow suit. Biden added that “gender equality is not a women’s issue alone. It benefits everybody.”