Equal Pay Day

I am writing on behalf of the Schaumburg Area Branch of the American Association of University Women. "All Women's Equal Pay Day" is March 24. Sadly, it is not a day to celebrate even if it falls in Women's History Month.

Women's Equal Pay Day is the date to denote how into the new year women must work to be paid what men were paid the previous year. This year women working full time and year round are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man who works full time. Started by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996, the goal was to raise awareness about the gender wage gap. Since then other Equal Pay Days have been added to the calendar to denote the mothers and most women of color face and even wider than average gap and need to work even longer to catch up to men's earnings.

The list below highlights the gap

Asian American Women's Equal Pay Day was Feb. 23. Asian American women are paid 90 cents for every dollar paid to white men.

Mother's Equal Pay Day is June 4. Mothers are paid 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers.

Black Women's Equal Pay Day is August 3. Black women are paid 62 cents for every dollar paid to a white man.

Native American Women's Equal Pay Day is September 8. Native American women are paid 57 cents for every dollar paid to white men.

Latina Women's Equal Pay Day is October 21. Latina's are paid 54 cents for every dollar paid to white men.

Working women and particularly women of color have been devastated by the pandemic. They have lost their jobs at a greater rate than men and have shouldered a greater portion of child-care and eldercare responsibilities in the workforce. Our society cannot afford to leave women behind. When women win, their families, communities and workplaces win too.

Mary Memhardt

Schaumburg Area AAUW