Norment

Pay inequity came to mind as I perused information on the 2024 National Women’s History Month. The theme for this year is celebration of “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”

According to its website, “Today, equity, diversity and inclusion are powerful driving forces that are having a wideranging impact on our country. . . It takes courage for women to advocate for practical goals like equity, diversity and inclusion when established forces aim to misinterpret, exploit or discredit them.”

Yet, we cannot afford to slack off or give up on seeking these goals. Diversity and inclusion undoubtedly will open the doors to equity – equity in job opportunities, equity in job advancement and certainly equity in pay.

Tennessee men are paid 22% more than women for the same work

According to a report on women in the workforce from Thinktennessee, women in our state are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man. Tennessee mothers are paid 72 cents for every dollar a father makes. Black women are paid 67 cents and Hispanic women 54 cents for every dollar a White, non-hispanic man makes.

Another study found that median annual pay for a woman who holds a fulltime, year-round job is $34,009, while the median annual pay for a man who holds a full-time job is $41,661. Again, that translates to women in Tennessee being paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual wage gap of $7,652.

Tennessee women who were employed full time lost a combined total of almost $7 billion dollars every year because of the wage gap. If the annual wage gap in Tennessee were eliminated, a working woman would have enough money for about 62 additional weeks of food for her family; seven more months of mortgage and utilities payments, and nearly 10 additional months of rent.

Of course, this wage gap is not exclusive to Tennessee; women are facing similar pay situations across the country and around the world. The pay gap is highest in Utah, where women are paid 60 cents for every dollar paid to men. The pay gap is about 13 cents in Washington, D.C., and 15 cents in Vermont. Tennessee happens to rank in the middle of pay equity among states.

Anwesha Majundar, a female economist, was quoted in a WKRN story as saying: “We have occupational segregation that’s sorting women into jobs that are lower paid, have lower quality. We also have the effects of racism and sexism.”

Congress must change laws to create gender pay parity

The American Association of University Women is a long-time advocate for women’s economic empowerment. After the organization analyzed recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it concluded that the “gender pay gap between men and women remains persistent,” despite pay discrimination becoming illegal in the U.S. 60 years ago.

The AAUW says that despite existing federal and state equal pay laws, the gender pay gap persists and impacts millions of women and their families. “We need to update our laws to ensure all workers can take home a fair paycheck,” the AAUW posts on its website. “Congress must ensure all women have the tools they need to challenge discrimination and all employers have the incentive they need to comply with the law.”

While the country has tackled this pay-gap issue for decades, the National Women’s Law Center has found that pay transparency is a viable solution. The law center explains that pay transparency means that potential employees can see how much they could get paid for a job because employers include the pay range in the job announcement.

The NWLC goes on to say that salary negotiations are “notoriously unfavorable” to women, for women who negotiate are perceived as greedy and not team players. In addition, women usually move from roles where they were paid less, so they ask for less than their male counterparts. Research shows that when all applicants are informed about range of pay, gender differences in negotiation outcomes diminish. This helps to narrow gender and racial wage gaps as well as raise wages for low-paid workers, who are mostly women.

Things women must consider when it comes to pay equity

Fortunately, pay range transparency laws are increasing across the country. A handful of states are working to pass laws that require employers to share what they will pay for positions. Results are encouraging. For example, in one state where a pay range transparency law has been in effect since 2021, a study found that wages on job postings have increased.

In addition to pay transparency assisting the salary negotiation process, it also helps in other ways. For one, employees can determine sooner if there are better opportunities–and pay–elsewhere. Pay transparency also helps recent college grads and other job market newcomers. Many in this group will not apply for a job that does not post a salary range, for pay transparency may also indicate a more equitable workplace.

There is so much that women must consider when it comes to pay equity.

h First, make sure you are qualified for the job you seek.

h Even if the job lists salary ranges, do your own research and know pay scales across the industry for positions that you seek.

h Learn how to negotiate for a salary but don’t lock yourself out of a job by being too aggressive or assertive.

h When on the job and vying for a promotion or salary increase, know your worth but also keep in mind your company’s culture. If you feel that your contribution is not valued, then seek a job elsewhere.

Personal successes may appear small in the overall world of gender pay gap. But small steps can add up to women making strides in the persistent work force pay gap.

To solve this problem, employers must be held accountable and set fair practices that help to empower women economically. The American Association of University Women says it “won’t stop fighting until all women are paid fairly and have the same opportunities to build secure economic futures for themselves and their families.”