The USA Caucus of Zonta International, representing over 8000 members in the US, has issued the following statement in conjunction with Equal Pay Day, March 14, 2023. Zonta is a non-partisan organization with the mission to make the world a better place for women and girls.
March 14 symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. The wage gap is even greater for women of color. According to the latest U.S. Census figures, women who work full time are paid on average just 84% of the typical man’s pay. Women still face barriers in accessing good-paying jobs, and carry a disproportionate burden for caregiving responsibilities in our society. Additionally, the lack of affordable childcare and paid family and medical leave contribute to women being unable to join the workforce or stay in the workforce. Pay equity and family friendly policies make good business sense and will help employers attract and retain the best talent. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened existing inequalities and has made the problem of unequal pay more urgent.
The pay gap over time results in women saving less for retirement than men, earning lower pensions and social security payments, having a larger burden of student debt, and results in women having less economic security than male counterparts.
We encourage women to advocate for themselves; state and federal governments to enact legislation that ensures equal pay for women; and businesses to review their compensation policies to ensure that historical policies and pay practices are not unfairly disadvantaging women.
We join the National Committee on Pay Equity in calling for our members, and all women and men, to wear red on March 14 to symbolize how far women are “in the red” on Equal Pay Day.
Download the full Statement:
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