Last Tuesday, April 10th was Equal Pay Day – the date each year that marks when the average woman will have earned as much as her male colleagues earned the previous year. Last year it was April 4th. For
women of color, Equal Pay Day comes even later. Black women reach the milestone on August 7th and Latina Equal Pay Day is November 1st.
Let’s take a closer look at this situation.
In a Time article, “10 Powerful Women on How #MeToo Has Changed the Fight for Equal Pay”, Jennifer Calfas notes how long it will take to close this gap, given our present rate of progress. Estimates from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research show the pay gap won’t be closed for women until at least 2059, not until 2124 for black women, and as far out as 2233 for Hispanic women. So not in our lifetimes! Think about that when you are talking to your daughters and granddaughters about what they want to be when they grow up.
According to an ABCNews report, tech is one of the better industries. The report says, “In the tech industry — which has been under scrutiny for gender equity issues — women were paid 99.5 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earned, the smallest pay gap by industry found in the study. However, when the control for the same title is removed, women earned 84.7 cents compared to men in the tech industry, moving it to the middle of the industries examined.”
According to the 2018 HIMSS U.S. Compensation Survey based on the feedback of 885 health IT professionals, gender pay disparity exists similar to the overall numbers already noted. In the health IT field, women make $.82 for every $1 their male colleagues make. The disappointing news is that this is the same level it was in 2006.
Pay disparity widens as managerial rank increases and as women get older. While there appears to be parity starting out, the gap widens at the executive levels and higher age ranges. I believe that this is the result of years of accumulated lower pay for women. It will only be closed when their current or future employers decide to take it on and raise their pay to match their male counterparts. However, the good news is that young women are starting out their careers more equal to their male counterparts. So, there is hope!
Looking for some shining examples to learn from, Jenn Dennard, founder of HealthITchicks put out a call on social media for companies to share what they’ve done to address gender pay disparity. She received only two responses.
In her post, Two is the Magic Number in Health IT on #EqualPayDay, Dennard highlights Fast Layne Solutions and CoverMyMeds based on their own descriptions of their philosophy and efforts. Fast Layne Solutions President and CEO Christopher Hughey told her that their “founding principles include commitments to equality, diversity, equal pay, and giving back in the form of directing 5% of all net profits to St. Jude’s”.
The Time article suggests actions for women including developing your negotiating skills and knowing your worth. And companies should ensure they have standardized pay for new hires.
All the women interviewed for the Time article were asked how #MeToo and #TimesUp play a role in equal pay. Andrea Jung, CEO of Grameen America, commented on how the focus goes beyond harassment to equality and thinks they are integrally linked. She goes on to say, “I don’t think this genie can get put back in its bottle. I think this is a defining moment which can in fact move the needle finally on long-awaited equality in the workplace”.
Let’s hope she is right, and my granddaughters will be able to celebrate Equal Pay Day on January 1st.
Related Posts and Resources:
Never underestimate the power of a woman
10 Powerful Women on How #MeToo Has Changed the Fight for Equal Pay
Recognizing Equal Pay Day: 5 Highlights from the 2018 HIMSS U.S. Compensation Survey
Two is the Magic Number in Health IT on #EqualPayDay