Pay Equity

COUNTDOWN TO EQUAL PAY 

Sometimes we find ourselves wishing for more than 24 hours in a day or more than seven days in a week, but time is not always better.  It takes women about 15 months to earn what men earn in 12, thanks to the gender pay gap.  This has lifelong consequences and affects every aspect in a woman’s career and retirement.

We take note of this gap every April on a day known as Equal Pay Day, which is the symbolic day when women’s earnings (78 cents to men’s dollar) finally catch up to men’s earnings from the previous year.  Equal Pay Day is a powerful occasion to raise awareness and organize action around the gender pay gap in our communities. The activities listed below can be accomplished not only on April 2, 2022, Equal Pay Day in the US, but also throughout the year.

Learn:

  • Read books authored by equal pay activists such as Lilly Ledbetter, Dr. Evelyn Murphy and Linda Babcock
  • Be able to present talking points about the Fair Pay Act and Paycheck Fairness Act
  • View AAUW National’s Equal Pay Day Point of View

 Educate:

 Act:

  • Contact your Senators, Representatives, and City Officials
  • Wear Red on Equal Pay Day, April 2022 to symbolize how far women “are in the red” with their pay
  • Donate to AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund

 Organize:

  • Collaborate with other organizations at their events to raise awareness of this issue
  • Have an AAUW Pay Equity table
  • Hold a women’s leadership Brown Bag Lunch at work to discuss a self- audit of gender pay and anti- retaliation policy pertaining to salary inquiries
  • Distribute Equal Pay buttons and stickers to continue awareness and advocacy
  • Plan your April branch meetings around this issue