Black Women's Equal Pay Day
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day is the approximate day a Black woman must work into the new year to make what White non-Hispanic man made in one year.
Join Us For Black Women’s Equal Pay Interactive Panel!
Join the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, Equal Rights Advocates, LA Community Colleges and the California Labor Commissioner’s Office for a Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Interactive Panel Discussion on August 25, 2021 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
California has some of the strongest equal pay laws in the country but Black women still earn just 63 cents for every dollar a White man earns. These gaps create staggering financial losses: Black women lose a median of $24,110 each year because of the wage gap – that adds up to nearly 1 million dollars over a lifetime!
Join us for a discussion on the wage gap and its lasting impact on Black women and families. Speakers include:
- Welcome from the First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
- Deputy Labor Commissioner Sherri Bell
- Equal Rights Advocates Senior Counsel for Workplace Justice and Public Policy Jessica Ramey Stender
- California Commission on Women and Girls Chair Lauren Babb
- Los Angeles Community College District Trustee Nichelle Henderson
Pay Equity Is An Intersectional Issue
Today, the wage gap for Black women compared to non-Hispanic white men is $0.63. This inequity affects everything from the ability to save for retirement, pay off student loans, manage household expenses, access to quality housing, healthcare, food offerings and other aspects of Black women’s livelihood. According to the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), more than 1 in 3 Black women were on the front lines of the pandemic in 2020, many in low-paid jobs and at high-risk of exposure to Covid-19, exacerbating existing inequities.
Articles
On average, Black women in the U.S. are paid 38% less than white men and 21% less than white women. Learn more in this report from LeanIn.org.
On the Margins: Economic Security for Women of Color
Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap (CWWG) prioritizes solutions to support women who are disproportionately impacted by the gender wealth gap.
The Coronavirus is a Financial Crisis for Women
These findings are part of ongoing LeanIn.Org and SurveyMonkey research on how COVID-19 is affecting women’s overall well-being.
Data
Based on today’s wage gap, the National Women’s Law Center has determined that Black women would lose $964,400 over the course of a 40-year career. If we don’t act to close the wage gap, a Black woman just starting out today stands to lose nearly a million dollars over the course of her career, undercutting her ability to provide for herself, her family, and her retirement security. According to data by Payscale, the economic turmoil fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and people of color and may impact the gender and racial pay gap for years to come.
2021 Data on Black Women and the Wage Gap
Black women are only paid 63 cents to every dollar White, non-Hispanic men are paid
%
of Black mothers are key breadwinners for their families
%
of Black women surveyed reported gender/racial obstacles to opportunity at work
%
of Black women surveyed feel strongly that Congress should pass paid family and medical leave legislation
Families Are Impacted
The median wages for Black women in the United States are $41,098 per year, compared to median wages of $65,208 annually for white, non-Hispanic men. These lost wages mean Black women have less money to support themselves and their families, save and invest for the future, and spend on goods and services. Families, businesses and the economy suffer as a result.
Factsheet Resources
Learn more about the wage gap for Black women using the factsheets below:
Reports
Black women face vast obstacles due to racism and sexism and the research shows that equal pay for equal work is simply not not a reality for many. When we control for education, years of experience, occupation and other compensable factors, most men and women of color still earn less than White men. The research into the racial wage gap below indicates that racial bias in the workforce remains persistent.
According to the National Partnership for Women and Families (NPWF), the wages of Black women are driven down by a number of current factors including gender and racial discrimination, workplace harassment, job segregation and a lack of workplace policies that support family caregiving. The numbers reflect the tangible consequences of sexism and white supremacy in the United States.
NPWF data shows that if the wage gap were eliminated, on average, a Black woman working full time, year-round would have enough money for approximately:
- More than two and a half years of child care
- More than 16 additional months of premiums for employer-based health insurance
- 153 more weeks of food for her family (three years’ worth)
- Fifteen additional months of mortgage and utilities payments
- Twenty-two more months of rent
- Enough money to pay off student loan debt in just over one year
Report Resources
Take a moment to explore some of the extensive research and reports on the wage gap for Black women below:
- On the Margins: Economic Security for Women of Color Through the Coronavirus Crisis and Beyond
- The State of the Gender Pay Gap in 2021
- Working at the Intersection: What Black Women Are Up Against
- Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap: What It Is and What Can Be Done About It
- Crisis Conversations (Podcast): Calling For A New Bailout For Women of Color
- 2020 Pay Equity Study (San Diego)
- Systemic Racism and the Gender Pay Gap
Social Media Toolkit
This year, Black Women’s Equal Pay Day falls on Tuesday, August 3rd. For the month of August, join us in raising awareness and highlighting the effects of workplace discrimination and COVID-19 on Black women and families. Download the social media toolkit to participate!
Media Toolkit
Click HERE to download the toolkit.
The toolkit provides sample posts and graphics for use on social media to help raise awareness about the impact of the page gap on Black women. Please tag us at @CCSWG and use the hashtags #BlackWomensEqualPay or #EqualPayCA when sharing.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
