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PAY INEQUALITY


Over the course of the second half of the 20th century, women’s participation in the labor force has grown significantly. Women are pursuing higher education and working longer hours in larger numbers, yet despite this progress, significant wage gaps continue to persist between men and women.

The gender wage gap refers to the difference in wage earnings between women and men. The gender wage gap has been calculated by experts in a variety of ways, but the calculations always concluded that women consistently earn less than men. The data from the most recent Census in 2018 showed that women of all races earned an average of just eighty-two cents ($0.82) for every dollar ($1.00) earned by men of all races. This calculation is the ratio of median annual earnings for full-time working women in comparison to men, which ultimately factors out to a gender wage gap of eighteen cents ($0.18). When researching and discussing the gender wage gap for women, it is important to emphasize that there are evident differences by ethnicity and race, making the wage gap even larger for most women of color.

Some factors driving the gender wage gap include, but are not limited to the following; differences within industries or jobs worked which are based on women and men working in different fields based on gender norms and expectations. Positions that have a historically majority-female workforce receive lower pay and fewer benefits in comparison to predominantly male workforces. Differences in years of experience and hours worked also plays a role in the gender pay difference as women are typically the caregivers of their respective families resulting in less work experience than their male counterparts. Paid family and medical leave could help resolve this issue as women would be less likely to leave work and more inclined to return sooner. In addition, discrimination remains a major issue despite it being illegal. It is a widespread issue especially for women of color and thrives in workplaces that are not open to wage discussions or where employees are afraid to speak out.

Much still needs to be done in order to close the gender pay - at this rate, women are not projected to reach the same pay as men until 2059. Women need comprehensive equal pay legislation which will strengthen current policies while combating discriminatory practices.