Gender pay gap is not seeing much improvement. Will Gen Z see equal pay?

March is observed as Women's History Month and when "Equal Pay Day" occurs. It represents the day of the year an average woman must work in order to earn the same amount of money a man did the previous year. In 2020, the average ratio was women making 86 cents to every dollar a man does. In 2022, the day fell on March 15.

This is so very frustrating to hear as a young woman entering higher education and the work-force. Will there ever be light at the end of tunnel for our generation?

It's about time to see some significant change. Yes, there have been incredible improvements, but the battle is long from being over.

Since the 1900s, there has been improvement. However, since about 2015 there hasn't been any significant change in the amount improved. There are a variety of factors that contribute to the gap. There is an even larger disparity for women of color. The pay gap further increases with age. The range can come down to the type of job a person holds, family responsibilities, or the amount of time in that field. Covid-19 only accentuated the problem. The recession from the pandemic resulted in more prominent job loss in females than males. The groups that suffered the most were low wage earners and those of color. It is said by U.S. Department of Labor reports, the pandemic pushed the female labor force participation backwards 30 years.

There are many predictions to when the gap will close. Some predict it will close within the next 100 years, while others say the next 250 years. There is a possibility the day of equal pay comes sooner if we work together to find improvements and solutions. Besides legislation, companies can work on paid leaves, childcare benefits, or transparency through companies such as posting salary ranges for an example.

There is one thing we know for sure - we need change. There have been achievements, but an equal pay day recognition is not enough. There should not be a need for an equal pay day at all.

If you want to help find a way to support an organization that spreads awareness and campaigns for equal pay, please look on our Resources Page: https://rebeccannryan.wixsite.com/letstalkbusiness/news-1

Sources Cited

Lytle, Tamara. “Closing the Gender Pay Gap.” SHRM, SHRM, 16 Aug. 2019, www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/summer2019/pages/closing-the-gender-pay-gap.aspx.

“Despite Progress, Pay Gap for Women Persists.” Office of the New York State Comptroller, www.osc.state.ny.us/reports/despite-progress-pay-gap-women-persists.

Binder, Richard. “Where in the U.S. Is the Gender Pay Gap the Widest (and the Narrowest)?” BenefitsPRO, 17 Mar. 2022, www.benefitspro.com/2022/03/17/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-gender-pay-gap-the-widest-and-the-narrowest/.

Haynes, Suyin. “Gender Gap Will Take an Estimated 135 Years to Close: Report.” Time, Time, 30 Mar. 2021, time.com/5951101/global-gender-gap-135-years/.

Stephen Miller, CEBS. “Gender Pay Gap Improvement Slowed during the Pandemic.” SHRM, SHRM, 15 Mar. 2022, www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/compensation/pages/gender-pay-gap-improvement-slowed-during-the-pandemic.aspx.

26/05/2022, et al. “250 Years Needed to Bridge the Pay Gap.” United Nations Western Europe, 29 Sept. 2020, unric.org/en/250-years-needed-to-bridge-the-pay-gap/.