The Equal Pay Act, which requires employers to pay men and women equal pay for equal work, was passed in 1963. This law was supposed to level the playing field for men and women in the workplace, but it has been over 50 years since it was established and the gender pay gap still exists. Has the law had any impact on the gap at all? Is the pay gap really closing? Here’s what you need to know:
The Gender Pay Gap: Then and Now
The gender pay gap was $0.36 in 1980, which means women earned an average of $0.64 for every dollar earned by a man. The gender gap has not completely closed since then, but progress has been made. In 2017, it was reported that women’s earnings were approximately 81.8% of men’s earnings. These numbers seem promising, but they do not tell the whole story.
Is the Gender Pay Gap Really Closing?
The pay gap obviously narrowed between 1980 and 2017. But, a closer look at the data reveals that it actually became slighter wider between 2017 and 2018. In 2018, women earned about 81.1% of what men earned, which represents a 0.7% decrease from the previous year.
The data also reveals that the rate at which the gap is narrowing has changed drastically over the last several decades. The wage gap narrowed rather quickly in the 1980s, but has slowed down quite a bit since then. In fact, the ratio of women’s to men’s earnings changed by less than 1% between 2009 and 2018. Progress is being made, but at a much slower rate than expected.
The Gender Pay Gap Among Minorities
Minorities are hit the hardest by the gender pay gap. In 2018, African American women earned just 65.3% of what white men earned and Latina women earned just 61.6% of this total. These numbers fluctuate slightly every year, but not enough to come close to closing the pay gap once and for all.
Some people may think that the gender pay gap no longer exists or is practically gone, but that’s not the case. Based on this data, it’s clear that the gender pay is not really closed.
Is your employer violating your right to equal pay? There’s no time to waste—contact Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. at once. Our experienced attorneys will work tirelessly to recover compensation on your behalf and hold your employer accountable for this violation. Call us at (918) 582-2500 or toll-free at (800) 722-8880 or complete the simple form below for a free consultation with a skilled attorney.