Equal Pay Day

To the editor,

Equal Pay Day is the symbolic day dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. In the United States, this date symbolizes how far into the year the average woman must work in order to have earned what the average man had earned the entire previous year. In 2024 that date is March 12! This represents the significant pay gap: 84%for fulltime workers and 78% for all workers ((including part time and seasonal).

This year the focus on the pay gap is particularly significant. This day is a recognition of the 2023 Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Claudia Goldin, who earned that award for extensive research in advancing the world’s understanding of women’s progress in the workforce. She is the first woman to earn the prestigious award in Economics exclusively.

Her comprehensive studies are both cross cultural and historical. Not surprisingly, she has shown that most of the earnings difference occurs after the birth of a woman’s first child suggesting implications within family structures and for society.

As an organization, AAUW works tirelessly to bring awareness to the gender pay gap and applauds the advancement of understanding of and progress toward greater equality in all areas. For more detailed information, I encourage you go to https://www.aauw.org/resources/article/equal-pay-day-calendar .

Lorraine Davis

River Falls