Did you know that Black women face a wider-than-average pay gap, despite participating in the workforce at higher rates than most other women?
Despite the progress made in recent years, Black women continue to face an uphill battle in earning fair wages for their work. Discrimination and unequal access to resources and opportunities still play a huge part.
It is estimated that in the United States, women earn an average of 80 cents for every dollar earned by men. For Black women, the gap is even wider. According to AAUW, it would take Black women over nine months to close the pay gap with white men. They would have had to work an additional 264 days in 2022 to match the pay of white males.
This pay gap exists for many reasons, most of which stem from systemic inequalities that exist in societies around the world. Black women are overrepresented in low-paid jobs and many face racial and sex discrimination at work.According to AAUW, black women who worked part-time or seasonally were disproportionately impacted by the layoffs and caregiving responsibilities women experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
USA TODAY’s analysis found that white men are almost eight times as likely as Black women to be executives. Black men, who are themselves underrepresented, are still twice as likely to be executives as Black women. USA Today also stated that 80 per cent of Black mothers are the sole breadwinners or primary breadwinners for their households.
Research from the American Association of University Women examines how systemic racism, including decades of discriminatory employment practices, intentionally inadequate legal protections and persistent racial stereotypes, has contributed to a pay gap that remains far wider for women of colour than for white women.
The gap limits Black women’s access to higher education and leads to fewer job opportunities, lower wages, and fewer job promotions. Furthermore, it can limit their ability to save money or invest in real estate or stocks.
To address the issue, it’s important to advocate for policies that tackle discrimination in the workplace and ensure equal pay for all workers regardless of race or gender.
At EQUAL-SALARY Foundation, we strongly believe in pay equity for all workers regardless of gender or race. We stand for equitable workplaces where everyone is paid fairly for their work.
It is everyone’s responsibility to put an end to this discrimination and to take concrete measures. Getting EQUAL-SALARY certified is a concrete measure that allows you to enter a virtuous circle of continuous improvement.
