Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day Highlights Compounded Economic Disparities  

Sacramento, CA (October 20, 2026) – Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day highlights the persistent economic disparities faced by women with disabilities due to overlapping gender and disability-based barriers to employment, increased healthcare expenses, and threats to essential support services.  

• Disabled women in the United States are paid 56 cents for every dollar earned by nondisabled men when accounting for full-time, part-time, and part-year workers – a gap of $24,000 less per year. 
• Among full-time, year-round workers, disabled women earn 68 cents on the dollar, suggesting that the wage gap cannot be fully explained by differences in employment hours or duration.  

“California’s disabled women face a double whammy scenario, where both being a woman and having a disability means bigger wage gaps and heightened economic insecurity all while critical social safety nets are being reduced or eliminated,” said Darcy Totten, Executive Director of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. “This vulnerable population needs support and pathways that create opportunities for economic mobility, career advancement, and long-term financial stability. Investing in disabled women strengthens not only individual families, but also the health and resilience of our communities and economy.” 

Higher Expenses with Limited Economic Opportunity  

Disabled women often face barriers to full-time employment, including ableism, a lack of essential accommodations, and inaccessibility in the workplace. They are far less likely to participate in the labor force than nondisabled men and are more likely to experience job instability, often being among the last hired and first laid off. Disabled women also face longer periods of unemployment and greater challenges returning to work after job loss. 

These disparities stem from persistent barriers and discrimination across education, housing, and labor markets, which often channel disabled women into low-wage, part-time positions. Such jobs are less likely to provide benefits like paid family and medical leave, making it more difficult for disabled women to balance employment, caregiving responsibilities, and their own health care needs. 

In addition to ordinary healthcare expenses, disabled women often have medical expenses associated with their disability that can range from minor copays to major out-of-pocket expenses. Often referred to as the “disability tax” or “disability squeeze,” these expenses include medical care, assistive technology, personal care services, transportation, and other supports necessary for full participation in daily life. 

At the same time, cuts to safety net programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and health care subsidies also leave many disabled women and their families with fewer resources to meet essential needs. 

Resources are available in California for members of the disability community to access services, explore job opportunities and build financial security. These resources are housed at: 

• California Department of Rehabilitation 
• CalABLE 
• California Department of Social Services’ Deaf Access Program 
• California Employment Development Department’s Limited Examination and Appointment Program 

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About Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day 
Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day is a day that highlights how much longer disabled women must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic, non-disabled men earned in the previous year. It serves as a call to action to address and rectify the systemic inequalities contributing to the wage gap. Closing wage gaps is both a matter of fairness and a strategic economic imperative. When women are paid fairly, families have more spending power, small businesses grow, and communities become more resilient. Pay inequity, by contrast, suppresses tax revenue, increases reliance on public services, and limits long term economic competitiveness. 

About the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls 
For 60 years, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls has identified and worked to eliminate inequities in state laws, practices, and conditions that affect California’s women and girls. Established as a state agency with 17 appointed commissioners in 1965, the Commission regularly assesses gender equity in health, safety, employment, education, and equal representation in the military and the media.