Latina Equal Pay Day

About Latina Equal Pay Day

Latina Equal Pay Day is the approximate day Latina’s must work into the new year to make what White non-Hispanic man made at the end of the previous year. Latina’s typically earn only 55 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men and must work nearly 23 months to earn what white men earn in 12 months. That means it takes almost two years for Latinas to earn what White men earn in one.

Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day is the final  “Equal Pay Day”  of the year and is observed on October 29, 2020. Even as Latinas have entered the workforce in record numbers and now number more than 11 million workers, they nonetheless face the largest wage gaps among women. This disparity hurts not only Latinas, but also the families and communities they support. 

The nature of low-wage work and a persistent gender wage gap hurt Latinas and their families, making Latinas—many of whom are single heads of households—especially vulnerable to experiencing poverty. Wage gaps must be understood through an intersectional lens, but awareness is only the first step – active allyship, advocacy, and structural change are needed to build true equality for Latina’s in California and across the nation. We we must work together to support #LatinaEqualPay and to VOTE for equity! 

The Office of the First Partner and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG) invite you to watch a panel discussion held on Latina Equal Pay Day, October 29, 2020.

The panel was moderated by California’s First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and featured three phenomenal Latina leaders; California Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes, Moníca Ramírez, Founder & President, Justice for Migrant Women and Co-founder, She Se Puede, and President of Entertainment & Chief Marketing Officer at Univision, Jessica Rodriguez, as they discuss the specific impacts of Latina’s (un)equal pay and the importance of closing the wage gap.

Latinas in the United States are typically paid just 55 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men. In California, that number can be as low as 42 cents. That means it takes Latina workers almost an entire extra year of full-time, year-round work in order to be paid what the average annual earnings of a white man. Achieving pay parity is the first step to ensuring that working Latinas can build wealth and economic security.

Please enjoy this conversation focused on active allyship, advocacy, and structural change to build true equality for Latinas in California as we navigate the Covid-19 crisis and recovery.

Unseen Latinas

From essential and farmworkers to top CEOs and doctors, Latinas make up 20% of California’s workforce. But advocates say they are woefully underpaid and under-represented in a state with 16 Latinas serving in the state legislature.

Data on the Wage Gap for Latinas & Disparities in the Workplace: