National Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Equal Pay in 996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap in wages between women and men. It is always on a Tuesday at the end of March or early April to represent how far into the work week a woman works to earn as much as a man doing the same job.
Women generally earn less and must work longer for the same amount of pay as men doing the same job. The wage gap is greater for most women of color. According to EqualPayToday.org, as of March 31, 2020, the pay gap between white American women and men is $0.82 for every dollar paid to men. For Asian-American women, the gap is $0.90; for African American women, the gap is $0.62; for Native American women, the gap is $0.57 and for Latina women, the gap is $0.54. Comparing all U.S. moms to all U.S. dads, working moms earn $0.70 for every dollar paid to working dads.
In 2018, employers continued to pay equally skilled women less than their male counterparts. Educated women have an advantage, but even educated women are paid 88 percent of what their male equivalents earn. In positions that do not require analytical skills, the gap increased to 83 percent. Also according to Pew Research, more women are in the workforce and are holding more skilled positions. With the increased demand for skilled workers, women’s hourly wages are rising faster than men’s, but even with that, the gender gap in pay remains.
