Equal Pay Day for Black Women
Credit: equalpaytoday.org
Back in March, we wrote about Equal Pay Day. As noted then, however, Equal Pay Day doesn’t tell the whole story. Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day - the day a Black woman must work into the new year to make what white, non-Hispanic men earned at the end of the previous year. Put another way, Black women must work 569 days to earn what a white man earns in 365 days. According to the National Women’s Law Center, this amounts to the loss of nearly $1 million over the course of a 40 year career. As Sally Krawcheck of Ellevest states, this is something that we must “rage against.”
The reasons for this gap are varied and complex. Research from the American Association of University Women explores how systemic racist stereotypes, discriminatory employment practices, and inadequate legal protections contribute to a significantly larger gap for women of color than for white women.
As with any pay disparity, it’s not just the employee who is impacted. Their families and communities are adversely affected as well. Nearly 80% of black mothers are either the sole, co- or primary-breadwinners in their homes (compared to 50% of white mothers). This means that when a Black woman is not fairly compensated for the work she does, there are very real consequences on her family. In many cases, pay equity is the determinant of which side of the poverty line they are on. According to the National Partnership for Women + Families, if the wage gap were eliminated, a Black woman working full time could afford an additional 2.5 years of child care, another 156 weeks of food, or an additional 22 months of rent. Any of these options would make a significant and positive difference in the lives of many families.
Employers are in a unique position to make strides in this regard and level the playing field. Some straightforward strategies include:
Ensure hiring practices are inclusive - Be intentional about seeking out candidates from diverse backgrounds. Make sure your job descriptions are updated with inclusive language. Put together a consistent process, specifically rooting out opportunities for bias. Instead, consider practices such as blind resume reviews, panel interviews, and diverse hiring committees.
Establish inclusive benefits - This could include paid parental leave, childcare subsidies, dependent care support, or tuition assistance. Not everyone will need all of these benefits, but offering these can make a very real difference in easing significant burdens in the lives of even a few employees.
Commit to pay transparency - Create (and publish) pay structures in which employees can clearly see pay bands, and understand and envision their own career and compensation trajectory. Be transparent in your recruiting also - let candidates know what the salary ranges are up front.
Ensure equitable pathways for career advancement - There are multiple studies that demonstrate that women are frequently overlooked for mentorship and job growth opportunities. Make sure your career advancement discussions are based on experience, talent and performance.
Be public about your organization’s commitment - Today’s workforce is looking for companies that share their values. More importantly, workers from diverse backgrounds are looking for companies where they know they will be welcomed for who they are. So it’s not just lip service - it makes business sense for a company to be open about what they’re doing to be supportive and inclusive workplaces.
Genuine pay equity - for all women - requires an intersectional approach, one that considers both the gendered and racialized injustices that women of color face. Only by recognizing the problem can you begin to take steps to correct it.
Are you inspired to take action? Get in touch with us to talk about a compensation audit, building a compensation structure, or how to overhaul your recruiting process to ensure you are getting the most diverse and qualified candidates.
