Yesterday in the Assembly we passed a resolution declaring April 8 as Equal Pay Day in New York State (K.1034). Women deserve equal pay for equal work and it is unacceptable that in the year 2014, women are still paid less than men for doing the exact same work.” Nationally, women earn 77 cents for every dollar men earn, creating a substantial yearly pay gap of roughly $11,000 between men and women working full time. Minority women fare even worse, with African-American women earning 64 cents and Latinas earning just 54 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men nationally. This wage disparity costs the average American woman and her family an estimated $700,000 to $2 million in lost wages during her lifetime. April 8 is significant because it represents the time in the year when wages paid to women finally catch up to the wages paid to men from the previous year. By declaring this day Equal Pay Day, the unfairness of wage disparity starts a conversation about the enormous effects it has on New York women and their families, as well as the economy as a whole. Implementing fair pay policies can be done simply and wouldn’t cause undue costs or hardships in either the private or public sector. It is my hope that during the remaining weeks of session we address this growing disconnect and inequality.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:20:30 +0000
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