Ryan Quintal, 2019, via Unsplash
With an economy experiencing tremendous historical change, the job market has continued to isolate job seekers. The Equal Opportunity Act has lingered through recent algorithms, employees questioning whether they receive the pay they deserve.
Do Men and Women Earn The Same Wages?
A study shows that, for every dollar men make, women earn 80 cents. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the demographics of wage by gender. In the United States, wage adjustments occur based on a person’s work performance. This is known as a job promotion or raise.
As simple as the question may seem, it is important to understand the complexity of how wages are earned based on race and gender. Research says the gap between Asian and white women and Asian and White men shows a significant difference. Hispanic and black women are paid roughly 58-54 cents to every dollar earned by a non-Hispanic white man. The ratio is 81 cents for white women, while Asian women earn 90 cents.
Women can educate themselves on how to increase their wages to be the same as men or possibly greater, but the research states, “Women are paid less than similarly educated men at every level of education. And the wage gap tends to rise with education level.” Because women's starting pay is relatively lower compared to men, women are put at a disadvantage from the start.
How Can Women Advocate For Fair Wages?
A workshop for women to negotiate and advocate for fairer wages in New York showed that mostly black women attend these events, because they make less than white and Hispanic women.
During the workshop, women learned that speaking up about wages is important when bridging the wage gap. Creating that open dialogue can stimulate conversations and growth that women need. When asking a boss for a raise, the workshops educate women on how to approach the conversation, beginning with making a list of unique values that support the growth of the business.
The National Women’s Law Center offers some tips about how employers may use previous salary wages to justify lower compensation. Black women are typically the people who experience the most unfair starting wages. Many jobs ask about prior wages as part of salary negotiation tactics. Employers may initially have higher wage numbers based on skills and experience required for the job, only to lower them if they believe a candidate is willing to accept less.
What Factors Contribute To Workforce Unfairness for Women?
Womanhood can influence how women are perceived and treated in the workplace. The roles of caring for children, the physical and mental exhaustion that comes along, may portray women as less deserving of equal wages. A term known as the “Motherhood penalty” captures the reality that working mothers are overlooked for promotions and wage opportunities. Other sources of bias include gender stereotypes regarding relative strengths, competence and leadership skills of various demographics. Lastly, women are underrepresented in certain high-wage professions and roles.
Countless factors contribute to the wage differential for women. Black women are more likely to experience workplace discrimination and bias, more or less conscious. This can be reflected in wages. Also, women are expected to come from lower-wage jobs, therefore, anything slightly higher is often deemed sufficient, significantly dampening their lifetime earning potential. As job seekers, employees as well as entrepreneurs and potential employers, it behooves us to address this reality.
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