On March 15th we recognized Equal Pay Day for Women in the Year of 2022.

According to the AAUW (aauw.org), of which I am a proud, longstanding member, this is what Equal Pay Day means:

This symbolic day denotes how far into the year women must work to be paid what men were paid the previous year. This date is based on the latest U.S. Census figures showing that the average woman who works full time is paid on average just 83 percent of the typical man’s pay. Started by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996, the goal of Equal Pay Day is to raise awareness about the gender wage gap.

But that is not the whole story. The March 15th date does not reflect all communities of women. Equal Pay Day for all women was March 24 in 2021, but women of color lost ground in 2022.  Here is more info from AAUW that may not only surprise you but, I hope, also fires you up.

  • Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Women’s Equal Pay Day is May 3. Asian American and Pacific Islander women are paid 75 cents for every dollar paid to white men.  In 2021, it was March 9.
  • Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is September 21. Black women are paid 58 cents for every dollar paid to white men.  In 2021, it was August 3.
  • Native Women’s Equal Pay Day is November 30. Native women are paid 50 cents for every dollar paid to white men.  In 2021, it was September 23.
  • Latina’s Equal Pay Day is December 8. Latinas are paid 49 cents for every dollar paid to white men. In 2021, it was November 20.

If this makes you as mad as it does me, then here are some actions you can take in support of Equal Pay for all.

1. Join AAUW (AAUW.org). Their whole mission is gender equity and economic security.

2. Reach out to your representatives in Congress to make sure they know you expect them to support legislation that supports equal pay. You can find out who your reps are at House.gov. You can call them at (202) 224-3121.

3. Support your companies to actively work towards pay transparency and equality. Lean In has a great article on some things you can advocate for in your organizations. https://leanin.org/what-companies-can-do-about-equal-pay

4. Advocate for yourself. Often it feels like trying to turn a big yacht when we look to the government or to our corporate leaders to make pay equity a priority.  In the spirit of Margaret Mead, never underestimate the power of the individual to create positive change.

Empower yourself by signing up for a Negotiation Strategy Session. Not only will you get the practical tools needed to be prepared to negotiate but you will also gain real confidence in your ability to negotiate for anything. SIGN ME UP

Equal Pay Day