Mind The Gap – What’s Being Done to Bridge the Pay Divide in the US?

This date serves as a reminder of the progress made in empowering women and the challenges that persist. The gender pay gap is a case in point, even in one of the richest countries in the world.

Women in the United States who work full-time, year-round are typically paid only 84 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts, according to a report compiled by The National Women’s Law Center. This earnings gap translates into nearly $10,000 less per year in median earnings.

It’s important to point out that the wage gap disproportionately affects most women of color. According to the US Government Accountability Office, black women make an average of 63 cents for every dollar that a white man earns. Native American women make 60 cents for each dollar, and Hispanic or Latina women make 58 cents for every dollar.

While progress has been made – with the passing of the Equal Pay Act and other civil rights laws plus salary transparency laws, the pay gap itself hasn’t budged much in two decades.

An analysis by the Center for American Progress last year found that it could take another 32 years to close the gender pay gap, which means waiting until at least 2056.

And education is not leveling the playing field. Careers in science and STEM pay well for women, but despite this fact, the gender wage gap still exists.

Experts suggest the root causes of this pay gap in tech include occupational segregation (women are often concentrated in lower-paying tech roles); lack of negotiation and pay transparency; implicit bias and the motherhood penalty.

Closing the pay gap will take more than just recognizing Equal Pay Day or encouraging women to “ask for more” when negotiating their salaries.

Advocacy for policies that address workplace inequalities (dealing firstly with equitable parental leave programs) and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion remains crucial. International Women’s Day serves as a platform to shed light on these issues and inspire positive change.

Spotlight on employers

The EU Equal Pay and Transparency Directives will likely become the blueprint for what is to come around the world and it includes public median/mean pay gap disclosures. Over 40 companies in the U.S. are currently reporting or have committed to reporting median pay gaps in the next year.

Companies such as Visa and Microsoft have led the way from 2022, followed by Adobe, American Express, BNY Mellon, Chipotle, Citi, Disney, The Home Depot, Mastercard, Pfizer, Starbucks, and Target, to name a few.

What you can do

Be informed about what someone with your job title and experience level makes where you live. You need to know what your worth is.

Use sites that collate salary data (like Glassdoor, Levels and Scorecard) to glean this information. Salary transparency, or talking about how much money you make, is key to getting rid of the gap, because keeping that information secret only reinforces discrimination.

There are lots of great organizations that are committed to workplace equity and pay parity. To get involved, check out the American Association of University Women, the National Center for Women and Information Technology or Equal Pay Today.

While progress may be slow, it’s still progress and great possibilities lie ahead. Visit the nextpit Job Board to find the perfect next step.

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Start your job search today via the nextpit Job Board. This Article is written by Suzie Coen.