On Tuesday, President Joe Biden celebrated Equal Pay Day by highlighting new steps that aim to close the gender pay gap between federal workers and contractors. He also urged private businesses to take similar steps.
Biden signed the Equal Pay Day executive orders that encourages, but not orders, the government to look into banning federal contractors seeking information about applicants’ previous salary history. A directive was also issued by the Labor Department to strengthen federal contractors’ obligations regarding auditing payrolls in order to guard against disparities based upon gender, race, or ethnicity.
After signing the executive order, Biden stated that she hoped it would set an example for other private companies. Gender equality is not just a woman’s issue. It is beneficial for everyone.
The Office of Personnel Management was notified to examine a regulation that would address the use of previous salary history when setting compensation for federal employees.
Equal Pay Day is a day that aims to highlight how long women have to work in order to earn the same as men.
Data shows that the pay gap is now at its lowest point, but the coronavirus outbreak has changed women’s participation in the labor force so that “what are we seeing is an artificial narrowing,” stated Jasmine Tucker (director of research at National Women’s Law Center).
Tucker stated that women who worked full-time and stayed in the workforce during the pandemic often earned more than those who lost low-paying work. Tucker also said that 2020 data should not be compared to wage gap data from previous years.
The shadow of the pandemic hung over this year’s Equal Pay Day events held at the White House. These included speeches by prominent activists as well as a familiar Biden administration refrain encouraging workers to join unions.
At an afternoon event, Kamala Harris , Vice President, stated that the pandemic had only exacerbated these inequalities over the past two-years, and that caregiving has become more costly and more difficult.
A woman can lose about $400,000. in her 40-year career. Harris stated that the loss of wages for Black women, Latina women and Native American women is closer to $1,000,000
The White House Equal Pay Day summit was attended in large part by Cabinet members, executives from companies, and players from the U.S women’s soccer team who won a $24million settlement with U.S Soccer in a dispute over discrimination.
The settlement also includes a promise to equalize the pay and bonuses to match men’s teams.
Megan Rapinoe, a star midfielder, said that the team’s win could be particularly memorable for union workers who fight for equal rights at work.
She said that she believes the more stories we connect, the more we can connect with one another. “If I see myself in the union workers of Alabama, and they see themselves in me or our team, it’s all the same thing, because we all have the same problem.”
The Biden administration is attempting to address occupational segregation, among other issues. This will allow women to have better access to high-paying jobs that are male-dominated.
Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary, said that fair pay initiatives have a significant impact on the economy. “Some research suggests that if women were paid a fair salary, poverty would drop by half.”
The administration released a National Gender Strategy in October to promote full participation of women and girls in society.
Tucker stated that equal pay is not possible, especially after the pandemic.
In February 2022, there were 1.1 million fewer women working than in February 2020. This means that they are not looking for work or actively seeking it.
Tucker stated that there was a “special shedding” among low-paid workers. What was left were middle- and high-paid workers who were protected from the pandemic.
According to the White House, in 2020, an average woman who worked full time for a year earned 83c per dollar more than a male colleague doing similar work. This gap is even greater for Black, Native American and Latina women.
Women later in life also face this issue. A 2020 Brookings Institution study on women’s pension found that Social Security benefits for women equal 80% to those for men.
