Month: January 2019

by Ashley Rizzotto & Chandler Lackey

For many years, it has been estimated that women earn an average of 77 cents to a dollar.  As seen by the data below, reported by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) last year, women of differing racial identities were paid differently, some as significantly low as 53%.

According to new studies released November 2018 by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, it was discovered that the wage gap is now reported as women earning 49 cent to every man’s dollar. This number comes when accounting for a variety of biases and roadblocks, incrementally impacted by the likelihood of women taking breaks in their career either to take care of ill relatives or children.  

Equity in payment is an important goal to strive for as we enter 2019. With the trends of how the rates have increased over the years, leaving it to increase on its own could take decades. Whether you engage socially by sharing this knowledge with others, politically on a local or global scale, the information and tools below are one small step forward when facing the dismantling and rebuilding of this long-standing financial practice.

Making A Difference As an Employee 

Many times, people are not negotiating for their worth, or even negotiating at all!

Know that every experience that you can connect to transferable skills, and every degree you earn can all increase your earning power if shared strategically. Don’t feel intimidated when a job doesn’t list a salary range, this could be a sign that there is a larger range that they can accommodate based on the research you conduct and the way you share your experience.

Know Your Worth:

Use glassdoor.com to research the average salary of your current (or future) role. You can search specifically based on your number of years of experience and your geographic location to get the most accurate average. Many employees upload their salary data and years of experience, so this is self-reported by people directly in those roles. Use this information during the negotiation conversation to make sure you are being compensated for your worth based on your research and experiences.

Connect the Dots:

Many people think there should be a divide between skills learned in their personal life as opposed to their professional one. One of your biggest strengths is being able to show how you can relate your day-to-day skills to those listed in the job description. Being able to confidently relay overlapping skills in an interview shows critical thinking and ambition to an employer and gives you an advantage over other candidates.

Start Small and End Big:

Trying to combat the wage gap as a whole might be challenging. If you aren’t comfortable taking on the beast in its entirety, start small on your local and state levels. Being an informed and engaged citizen is key to eradicating the wage gap. Doing research on your city or state’s current wage gap and how it compares in relation to others is a great way to broaden your perspective. Keep in mind that, as an engaged citizen, you have the power to promote change on every level through raising awareness, challenging policies, and creating structures for change in organizations and companies.

Making A Difference as an Employer

Along with the advice of starting small and ending big, employers can be in the position to use their research to create institutional change. Not just researching competitive rates around them, but learning what systems through Human Resources or unions where you can educate employees and advocate for progress sooner on the small scale of your organization. Every small efforts adds up.

Every person should be entitled to not only a livable wage, but a wage that promotes equity for skill, experience, and growth beyond any person’s gender identity.

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/28/study-for-every-dollar-a-man-earns-a-woman-earns-49-cents.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/23/5-practical-ways-to-fight-for-equal-pay.html

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