National Equal Pay Day 2016

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Lexology

Today marks the twentieth anniversary of “Equal Pay Day,” which the National Committee on Pay Equity launched as a public awareness event in 1996 to symbolize how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. In more than 50 years since enactment of the federal Equal Pay Act (“EPA”) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), women have made significant.

Read the story here.

Related content:

• National Equal Pay Day 2016 (Jackson Lewis PC)
• Equal Pay Day (Think Progress)
• It’s not “choices,” it’s pure sexism: Women get paid less for one reason — they’re discriminated against (Salon)
• Here's What it Takes to Sue For Gender Pay Discrimination—and Win (Fortune)
• On Equal Pay Day, CAP Outlines Next Steps for Progress on Equal Pay (Center for American Progress)
• The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (AAUW)
• Equal Pay Day: Pay Gap Wider for Black, Latina, American Indian Women (DiversityInc)
• Equal Pay and the Wage Gap (National Women's Law Center)
• Video: It's Time for #EqualPayNow (U.S. Department of Labor)
• On Equal Pay Day, key facts about the gender pay gap (Pew Research Center)
• Madam C.E.O., Get Me a Coffee (The New York Times)

Gender-Based Wage Gap Persists, Experts Agree at EEOC Forum

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
PRESS RELEASE
4-28-11

Panels of Speakers and Informational Fair Commemorate Equal Pay Day at Agency

WASHINGTON—Gender-based wage discrimination remains a problem today and a percentage of the wage discrepancy cannot be explained by non-discriminatory factors, said government and private experts at a public forum held today at the headquarters of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The forum was one of 24 such events the EEOC is sponsoring across the country during April and May to raise awareness of the problem of wage discrimination and to educate the public. The Commission is a key member of the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force, launched by President Obama to “improve compliance, public education, and enforcement of equal pay laws.” The headquarters event featured leaders from other Task Force members including the Departments of Justice and Labor, and the Office of Personnel Management.
“We have come a long way since the days when gender-based inequities in access to jobs and payment of wages were sanctioned by law, but studies show that a significant portion of the wage disparity cannot be explained by differences in experience, specific work performed, education or other non-discriminatory factors,” said EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien. “This persistent disparity is a stark reminder that the EEOC’s work to end every form of sex discrimination in the workplace -- including compensation discrimination -- is still unfinished business.”
In addition to Chair Berrien, the following government experts presented their agencies’ particular perspectives on the issue of wage discrimination: Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice; Sara Manzano-Diaz, Director of the Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor (DOL); Patricia Shiu, Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), DOL; Nancy J. Leppink, Acting Administrator of the Wage & Hour Division, DOL; and Christine Griffin, Deputy Director, Office of Personnel Management.
Sara Manzano-Diaz of the Women’s Bureau -- which celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding last year -- said that from its inception the Bureau had as one of its main purposes the equalization of wages between women and men. Patricia Shiu, head of the OFCCP, told the audience of approximately 125 people that closing the wage gap is not just a civil rights issue, but an American recovery issue. All the government leaders stressed the value of the inter-agency cooperation that has resulted from the national Task Force.
Katherine M. Kimpel, a partner in the law firm Sanford Wittels & Heisler, kicked off the second panel by stating that if women think they are being paid equitably in their jobs, unless they have looked at the relevant data, the likelihood is that they are not. She said that many times women had come to consult her about other discrimination issues, insisting that pay was not a problem, only to find out later that they were being underpaid.
Serena Fong of Catalyst, a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in business, said that there is a gender leadership gap as well as a pay gap. She noted that over 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies have male CEOs, and that the salary studies conducted by Catalyst show that women at these companies start off with salaries $4,600 less than men, even accounting for differences in education and experience.
Cecelie Counts, the legislative representative of the AFL-CIO, told the group that it’s important not to forget the lowest wage earners -- day care workers, cleaners, aides -- for whom the wage gap has an even more pronounced impact. According to Lisa Maatz, Director of Public Policy and Government Relations of the American Association for University Women (AAUW), one way to try to combat the wage gap is through legislation. She regretted the failure of the Paycheck Fairness Act to pass during the last Congress, but noted that the bill had been reintroduced in the Senate and House.
Following the formal presentations, audience members attended an informational fair with materials provided by a variety of organizations, including the Society of Human Resource Management; the National Partnership of Women and Families; the National Committee on Pay Equity; the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights; and Mana, a national Latina organization.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov.

http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/4-28-11a.cfm

EEOC to Commemorate Equal Pay Day With Public Forum and Informational Fair

US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
PRESS RELEASE
4-25-11

WASHINGTON—To heighten public awareness of gender-based wage discrimination, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public forum from 10:30 a.m. to1:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, April 28, to commemorate Equal Pay Day. The program will be held at the EEOC’s downtown headquarters, 131 M Street, NE, Washington, D.C., and will be open to the public.
The forum will feature the following panels and exhibitors:
10:30-11:30 Closing the Wage Gap—Perspectives on Government Enforcement of Federal Wage Discrimination Laws

Jacqueline A. Berrien, Chair, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Department of JusticeSara Manzano-Diaz, Director, Women’s Bureau, Department of Labor (DOL)Patricia Shiu, Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, DOL Nancy Leppink, Deputy Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, DOL Christine Griffin, Deputy Director, Office of Personnel Management
11:30-12:30 Strategies for Closing the Wage Gap
Cecelie Counts, Legislative Representative, AFL-CIO Deborah Gillis, Senior Vice President, Membership & Global Operations, Catalyst Kate Kimpel, Partner, Sanford Wittels & Heisler, Plaintiffs’ Counsel in Velez v. Novartis Lisa Maatz, Director of Public Policy, American Association of University Women Moderator: Judith Winston, Former Undersecretary and General Counsel, Department of Education
12:30-1:30 Informational Fair: Learn What You Can Do to Close the Wage Gap

Partial List of Exhibitors: DC Office of Human Rights; National Partnership for Women and Families; National Women's Law Center; American Association of University Women; National Committee on Pay Equity; Coalition of Labor Union Women; Executive Office of the Mayor (DC)

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.

http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/4-25-11.cfm

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Equal Pay Day

U.S. Department of Labor
News Release
WB News Release: [04/11/2011]
Contact Name: Gloria Della or Bennett Gamble
Phone Number: (202) 693-8666 or x4667
Release Number: 11-0531-NAT

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Equal Pay Day
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day, which will be tomorrow, April 12:
"As a growing segment of America's workforce, women now hold nearly half of today's jobs. Their earnings account for a significant portion of the household income that sustains the financial well-being of their families.
"Almost 50 years after enactment of the Equal Pay Act, equal pay for equal work remains elusive for millions of working women. In fact, over the past 10 years, the pay gap has remained virtually unchanged. Today in America, women are paid an average of 80 cents for every dollar paid to men. The pay gap is even larger for women of color, with black women earning about 70 cents, and Latinas about 60 cents, of every dollar paid to all men.
"When women start at a disadvantage, they stay at a disadvantage. Every time a woman starts a new job or tries to negotiate for a pay raise, she is starting from a lower base salary. So, the pay gap grows wider and wider over time. According to the Labor Department's chief economist, the pay gap for the average, full-time working woman means she gets $150 less in her weekly paycheck. If she works all year, that's $8,000 less at the end of the year and approximately $380,000 over a lifetime. That is the real cost of the pay gap.
"In his 2010 State of the Union address, President Obama said he wanted to crack down on equal pay violations. As a result, he established the National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force that comprised four federal agencies, including the Labor Department. Working together, we have identified persistent challenges to equal pay enforcement and are taking action to address each of them.
"At the Labor Department, we are increasing our enforcement against employers who discriminate, leveling the playing field for those who do not, strengthening our regulatory authorities and creating opportunities for workplace flexibility so that women can make reasonable choices to care for their families without being penalized. The department's Women's Bureau is developing educational materials, including information to help employers identify potential wage discrimination and resources to assist employers in complying with the law. Our Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will issue new guidance to collect better data on how workers are paid as part of our efforts to root out discrimination among federal contractors.
"Equal pay is not just a women's issue. It's not just a family issue. It's a recovery issue. I am committed to finding commonsense solutions to closing the pay gap once and for all so that our nation will be a more fair and equitable place for everyone.”

http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/wb/wb20110531.htm

AAUW Hosts Capitol Hill Briefing on Equal Pay Day

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) announced that it held a briefing in Washington, DC on the persistent pay gap between women and men. The subject of the briefing was "New Voices for Pay Equity" and the association highlighted the gender gap issues in law, engineering, academia and public relations. The association also released a publication, "The Simple Truth About the Equal Pay Gap" during its Capitol Hill briefing. For a copy of the "Simple Truth", go to: http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/simpleTruth.cfm See below for more information about the briefing, the panelists who spoke and other publications on the gender gap in their respective professions including academia: Panelists: Lisa M. Frehill, Ph.D.Director of Research, Evaluation and Policy National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering NACME Technical Report: Salaries of Engineers (PDF)NACME Research and Policy Brief April 2011: Engineering Salaries (PDF) John W. Curtis Director of Research and Public Policy American Association of University Professors Persistent Inequity: Gender and Academic Employment (PDF) Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D., APR Associate Professor School of Journalism and Media Studies, San Diego State University Visit the Pubic Relations Society of America website for news, information, and publications about the gender pay gap in public relations. Deborah S. Froling JD Partner Arent Fox LLP Attorneys at Law Report of the Fifth Annual National Survey of Retention and Promotion of Women in Law Firms Angela Stevenson Public Health General Manager Wayne County, Michigan, Department of Public Health Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of Gender Pay Inequity (PDF) http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/simpleTruth.cfm

Women Deserve Equal Pay for Equal Work

The Huffington Post
Sen. Tom Harkin and Lilly Ledbetter
Posted: April 20, 2010 08:50 AM

On April 20th, Americans will observe Equal Pay Day -- the date that marks the 110 extra days that women must work into 2010 in order to equal what men earned in 2009.
Nearly half a century after Congress enacted the Equal Pay Act, too many women in this country still do not get paid what men do for the exact same work. On average, a woman makes only 77 cents for every dollar that a man makes. The circumstances are even worse for Latinas and women of color.
This is wrong and unjust. But, even more, it threatens the economic security of our families. The fact is millions of Americans are dependent on a woman's pay-check just to get by, put food on the table, pay for child care, and deal with rising health care bills. Two-thirds of mothers bring home at least a quarter of their family's earnings. In many families, the woman is the sole breadwinner.

Full Story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-harkin/women-deserve-equal-pay-f_b_543639.html

AAUW Releases Data to Show How the Wage Gap Varies from State to State

American Association of University Women (AAUW)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04/22/2009
Contact:Lisa Goodnight, goodnightl@aauw.org202/785-7738

Women Continue to Earn Less Despite Educational Attainment

WASHINGTON — To commemorate Equal Pay Day, April 28, 2009, AAUW has released a new state-by-state earnings comparison by gender that shows that the wage gap is stubbornly in place despite the overall positive effect a college degree has on women workers. Observing Equal Pay Day reminds the nation of the gross inequities facing women, who must work from January 2008 through April 2009 to earn what their male counterparts received in 2008 alone.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, AAUW finds that women earn 78 percent as much as men earn, and the numbers are even worse for women of color. Compared with white male workers, African American women earn about 67 cents on the dollar (African American men make 78 cents); Hispanic women make about 58 cents (Hispanic men make almost 66 cents).
The new AAUW comparison looks at women's and men's earnings in 50 states and the nation’s capital for the college-educated population and the workforce as a whole using the most recent data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2007).
The pay gap varies significantly from state to state. For the entire full-time workforce, the narrowest wage gaps exist in the District of Columbia, Vermont, and California — where female, full-time workers make 85 percent as much as their male counterparts. At the other end of the rankings are Wyoming, West Virginia, and North Dakota, where women earn 62 percent, 65 percent, and 66 percent, respectively, of what men make.
For the college-educated, year-round workforce, the narrowest wage gap exists in Vermont, where female full-time workers make 87 percent as much as their male counterparts. Hawaii follows at 83 percent, then Delaware at 80 percent. Louisiana — where female full-time workers make 65 percent of what their male counterparts earn — and West Virginia and Mississippi, both at 67 percent, are emerging as the states with the largest pay differences between male and female college-educated workers.
"Our analysis is quite disturbing, especially when you consider how more and more families are depending on a woman's paycheck as the primary source of income in these tough economic times. Consequently, the issue of pay equity takes on an added sense of urgency. This is just one of the reasons why we're urging the Senate to join the House and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE.
The Paycheck Fairness Act would provide additional tools to deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act.
Over a 40-year career, women could lose between $500,000 and $1 million. In higher-paying fields, such as law, the wage gap can result in even greater lifetime losses. For all women, the disparity is further compounded by losses in retirement and Social Security income that depend on wage-based contributions. Nationwide, working families lose $200 billion of income annually to the gender wage gap.
"Women with college degrees earn considerably more than women with less education, but they earn considerably less than men with college degrees. As we know from our research for Behind the Pay Gap, these differences start right out of college. Achieving full equity for women workers will require more than individual women making educational achievements," said Catherine Hill, PhD, AAUW director of research.
To learn more about Equal Pay Day, visit http://www.aauw.org/advocacy/issue_advocacy/EqualPayDay.cfm.

http://www.aauw.org/About/newsroom/pressreleases/wageGap_042209.cfm