Alexander: Congress Should Give Tennessee’s 900,000 Working Parents More Flexibility, Not Provide Higher Incomes for Trial Lawyers

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), today voted against moving to Democrats’ proposal to create more litigation and less workplace flexibility.

“Last year, 33 Tennesseans filed charges against their employers under the Equal Pay Act, which gives them tools to fight wage discrimination without destroying the flexibility Tennessee’s 900,000 working parents count on. The Democrats’ proposal would make it nearly impossible for a father in Knoxville to negotiate for a lower salary in return for more vacation time, or for a mother in Memphis to negotiate a shorter workday to help take care of her children.” 

Earlier this year when the Senate voted down the so-called Paycheck Fairness Act, Alexander offered an amendment to give parents more flexibility. He said today of his proposal: “Tennessee’s working parents should have the flexibility to be able to go to their daughter’s soccer game or their son’s piano recital.”

Alexander added: “A few years ago Captain Kangaroo, Robert Keeshan, and I started a company that eventually became the largest worksite daycare company in America. What we found out was that working parents with young children valued flexibility the most. The so-called Paycheck Fairness Act would actually limit the flexibility employers can give to working parents so they can spend more time with their families.”

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For access to this release and Ranking Member Alexander’s other statements, click here.