Equal Pay Day

Should two people earn the same amount of money for the same job?

That probably seems like a silly question.

But did you know that if one of those people is a woman, she’ll probably get paid less?

That’s why Equal Pay Day is so important.

In 1996, an organization called the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) established Equal Pay Day.

The day, held on April 14 this year, was created to raise public awareness of the gender pay gap: the average difference between pay for working men and women.

The gender pay gap creates major problems, such as higher poverty rates for women and their children, as well as less money and benefits during retirement.

The pay gap is a problem for all women—even highly educated ones.

The date of Equal Pay Day changes every year. It’s based on how many extra months a woman needs to work into a new year before she’s earned as much as a man.

So, for example, the date April 14 shows that women had to work an extra 3.5 months to earn what a man had made by the end of 2019.

In the United States, on average, women earn only 82% of what men do.

It gets even worse for women of colour. Some are paid as little as 54% of a white man’s salary.

There are several explanations for the gap. Here are a few:

Motherhood penalty

The motherhood penalty means that mothers receive fewer job opportunities because they’re seen as more distracted and less committed. Data shows that an American woman makes about 4% less for each child she has.

Gendered jobs

In the United States, 15 of the 20 highest-paid jobs are dominated by men; 14 of the 20 lowest-paid ones are done primarily by women—especially women of color.

Fewer management positions

Historically, men have been hired more often than women for management positions, which are higher-paid.

Educate yourself on the pay gap issues in your country and start discussions with others. Change can happen!

Equal Pay Day Comprehension

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