Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota

HF2033 a bill to determine new method of compensation for public employees

2012-02-10T11:04:00.003-06:00

The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota (Patty Tanji) will testify next Wednesday, against HF2033, State Government Finance Committee February 15, 2012, 8:15 AM, Room: 200 State Office Building. A bill oddly being called 'Equal Pay and Benefits Act' which proposes a new method for public employee compensation. We kind of like the way gender bias is taken into consideration in our compensation methodology now.

Comparable Worth Noting!

2012-01-02T15:57:00.004-06:00

This post from last year made it to 'Young Women Misbehavin' Top 10 blog list. That site is hosted by Business and Professional Women's Foundation. Are you ready for the 2012 legislative session! We are!

Here's the link again!

Its a quick synopsis of how we do pay equity in Minnesota.....very quick!

US District Court Orders Compensation Information

2011-11-18T18:15:00.004-06:00

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled that United Space Alliance LLC must supply the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs with compensation information requested for a review of the company's Cape Canaveral, Fla., facility. The ruling upholds a Feb. 28 decision by the department's Office of Administrative Law Judges.

"Workplace discrimination is not universal, but it is far too common — and the people who suffer most are the American workers," said OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. "At OFCCP, we are charged with identifying which federal contractors discriminate in their hiring and pay practices, and which are abiding by the law. We cannot serve our mission to protect workers if companies refuse to give us access to the records they promised to keep and share with us when they signed their contracts."

Bloomington League of Women Voters Pay Equity Reference Materials

2011-11-03T16:55:00.002-05:00

Hello to attendees of the talk Patty Tanji gave on Nov. 1, 2011. As promised here are the links and documents referenced.

1. For the StarTribune Minneapolis Public School Article and the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota’s response:

http://womenpayequity.blogspot.com/2011/11/markets-pay-rates-are-not-system-of.html

2. The St. Louis Fed’s article regarding a dip in the 2nd quarter wage gap numbers with reasons for the wage gap. We caution the use of the word ‘choice’ in terms of employment. Women choose to be nurses, teachers, administrators rather than executives and engineers. Yes….to a certain extent. I often call this rationale for paying women less than men the ‘let them be plumbers’ argument.

http://stlouisfed.org/publications/re/articles/?id=2160&utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SM&utm_campaign=Facebook#1

3. Stereotypes: Excerpts from Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink can be found by clicking here

4. Catalyst research on the gender wage gap from Current Population Survey 2009 can be found by clicking here

5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Women’s Earnings by Industry 2009 is here.

Thanks everyone! Email me at ptanji@aol.com if you want a paper copy of any of these reports mailed to you the traditional method.

In gratitude,

Patty

Markets Pay Rates Are Not a System of Values or Worth

2011-11-01T13:59:00.000-05:00

The Minneapolis School Board had a $165,000 compensation study done recently that has proven to be controversial. The results of the study indicated that some of the good folks (teachers were excluded) in the Minneapolis school district like clerical and food service (mostly women) were being paid 'over market rates' while others were being paid 'under market rates'. The October 27, 2011 Star Tribune article is here:

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/132755748.html

Here's the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota's response:

The whole point of the pay equity law was to challenge the notion that pay should be set "according to the market" - which really just means paying what everybody else pays, but is far from scientific or objective and invariably incorporates historic bias against all marginalized groups.

Hay Rating System -- in Ontario and Minnesota

2011-09-26T11:40:00.001-05:00

This is a great summary of how jobs are evaluated in Ontario. We use the same system in Minnesota

Maya Moore's Salary of the WNBA - Nuff Said

2011-09-17T14:18:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Mpls/St.Paul BizJournal for including Maya in their 7 most underpaid athletes in Minnesota.

Uncovering Wage Inequities in the Market Place

2011-09-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

September 15, 3 pm. Uncover Gender Inequities in the Market Place. A teleconference. You must click on the link and leave your name and email for call details.

Eddy Lindenstein of PayScale will show us how their Insight tool helps determine market rates of pay and gender inequities inherent in the marketplace for wages. This tool is used by employees and employers alike.

The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota has long believed that market considerations (external equity) as well as how your salary compares to others at your workplace (internal equity) must be taken into account when setting wages. The state of Minnesota assigns job point values to each job class then ensures pay properly reflects that value. As was determined by Minnesota Taxpayer Association report published October, 2010:
"State employee wages are typically above market rates for positions requiring less
education while below market rates for positions with higher educational requirements."
The state's pay equity laws ensures there are no patterns of paying women less then men for jobs of similar job point value in the public sector.

For Employers - This tool will show you how gender inequities exist in the market place for the same jobs in any market. You will learn how wage benchmarking alone may be a trap leading to discriminatory wage practices.

For Employees - This tool will show the realities of gender wage discrepancies. Many employees use this as a starting point from which to begin salary negotiations.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 20, 12 pm - 2 pm, 2012 legislative session strategy meeting of the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota. Lunch will be served. Everyone is welcome! Please rsvp by responding to this email and stating 'yes -- I plan to attend'. Big conference room, basement, 550 Rice St., St. Paul.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plans are unfolding for a national/international conference on women, pay, and economic security. Information regarding opportunities to partner with Patty Tanji of Open Workplace, LLC and/or help sponsor the event are forthcoming. Contact patty.tanji@myopenworkplace for details.

Let's do it up Minnesota style!

The Long Awaited Walmart Class Action Court Ruling is In

2011-06-21T13:22:00.000-05:00

Walmart Class

Why smart women still don't make it up the career ladder

2011-06-14T09:23:00.000-05:00

Why smart women still don't make it up the career ladder

Wage Gap is Accepted Practice Today

2011-06-08T10:16:00.003-05:00

A post by Ann Daly who cites a report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

A woman graduating with a bachelor's degree last year earned a median starting salary of $36,451. For a man, it was $44,159. When you calculate a lifetime of percentage raises and compound interest, that nearly $8,000 difference is staggering.

We press on.....

Discuss pay at work - go ahead!

2011-05-24T18:47:00.003-05:00

This article from Northwest Labor Press addresses company policies that prohibit discussing pay with colleagues. It's actually illegal to do so. So go ahead -- discuss away. However, polls show that people are a little squeamish about sharing salary information.

American cultural norms sometimes get in the way. In a February 2010 survey of 1,356 employed adults by Harris Interactive, only 33 percent said they were comfortable sharing details of their compensation … with their best friend. Even fewer — 15 percent — felt comfortable discussing wages with other employees at their level.

Since only 7% of the U.S. workforce is unionized -- that means the rest of us better be prepared when we start talking about salary. Get the facts at salary.com and glassdoor.com

Repeal of women’s pay equity pulled from omnibus bill

2011-04-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

Repeal of women’s pay equity pulled from omnibus bill

Two More Wins for Pay Equity in Minnesota

2011-04-27T14:30:00.002-05:00

We did again! Rep. Drazkowski took the provision to repeal the local government pay equity act out of HF 7! And, HF 519 was dropped from the agenda today in Government Operations and Election Committee. So far so good.........again!

Pay Equity Hearing on HF 7, Wed. April 27, 10:15, Rm 5, State Office Building

2011-04-25T08:17:00.002-05:00

Call to Action:

House Government Operations & Elections Committee.

**Call Rep. Peppin and ask to testify at the hearing in opposition to HF7. 651-296-7806

**Call Committee Members in your district -- tell them you oppose HF7, the bill to repeal of the local government pay equity act --

**Attend the hearing on Wednesday the 27th in support of pay equity. State Office Building Room.

Questions -- call Patty Tanji 651-271-1462, patty.tanji@myopenworkplace.com

Please call these committee members if they represent your district and tell them you oppose HF7 the pay equity repeal bill:

Chair of House Government Operations & Elections Committee: Rep. Joyce Peppin (R-Rogers) 651-296-7806

Committee Members

Duane Quam 29A, Byron 651-296-9236
David Hancock 2B, Bemidji 651-296-4265
Rich Murray 27A, Albert Lea 651-296-8216
Marion Greene 60A, Minneapolis 651-296-0171
Frank Hornstein 60B, Minneapolis 651-296-9281
Carol McFarlane 53B, White Bear Lake 651-296-5363
Tim O’Driscoll 14A, Sartell 651-296-7808
Tim Sanders 51A, Blaine 651-296-4226
Bev Scalze 54B, Little Canada 651-296-7153
Steve Simon 44A, St. Louis Park 651-296-9889
Dean Urdahl 18B, Grove City 651-296-4344
Ryan Winkler 44B, Golden Valley 651-296-7026
Michael Beard 35A, Shakopee 651-296-8872
Michael Nelson 46A, Brooklyn Park 651-296-3751

Open Book Salary - Trust and Transparency in Wage Setting

2011-04-24T21:30:00.001-05:00

Yes -- you can take the secrecy out of wage setting practices.

Women Don't Make as Much Money as Men Minneapolis News Report

2011-04-14T10:17:00.002-05:00

Tanji discusses the wage gap with KMSP Fox9 news host.

Advocate Discusses Pay Inequality Study: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Attempt to repeal gender wage equity an affront to Minnesota women | INFORUM | Fargo, ND

2011-03-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

Attempt to repeal gender wage equity an affront to Minnesota women | INFORUM | Fargo, ND

Another voice from a concerned citizen who believes in fairness, accountability, trust, and transparency in our public sector wage setting practices!

Negotiating Pay for Women and Building Trust | Open Workplace

2011-03-28T14:04:00.000-05:00

Negotiating Pay for Women and Building Trust | Open Workplace

Minnesota's Almanac Discusses Pay and Unions

2011-03-08T11:05:00.003-06:00

http://www.mnvideovault.org/index.php?id=21929&select_index=2&popup=yes

Eliot Seide of AFSCME and Rep. Downey discuss the proposed 15% reduction in Minnesota State employee workforce. Also mentioned are equal pay and benefits for public and private workers. The gender wage gap between public sector employees and private sector employees is mentioned. (77% for private sector 100% for state employees).

MinnPost - Bill to abolish pay equity is pulled, and author apologizes

2011-03-03T12:37:00.001-06:00

MinnPost - Bill to abolish pay equity is pulled, and author apologizes

We are thrilled to learn of Senator Carlson's change of heart. Thank you Senator Carlson.

There are still more anti-pay equity bills in the Minnesota state hopper: HF698 / SF282.

Thank you to all our supportive organizations:

Child Care Works
American Association of University Women/Minnesota
American Association of University Women/Minneapolis
Education Minnesota
Gender Justice
JOBS NOW Coalition
Joint Council Legislative Committee of the Girl Scouts
Minnesota Business Women
Minnesota Constitution Amendment for Equality
Minnesota Library Association
Minnesota National Organization for Women
Minnesota Women’s Consortium
Minnesota Women Lawyers
MPIRG – Minnesota Public Interest Research Group
Women’s Foundation of Minnesota

Patty

Pay Equity Law Detects Patterns of Pay Inequities

2011-02-24T15:51:00.007-06:00

The Local Government Pay Equity law prohibits one thing: a consistent pattern of paying less for jobs done by women, when they are of comparable value to jobs done by men - with the value determined by the city's or county's management.

The law does not require raising men's wages.

The law does not require hiring a consultant.

It does not require a market survey.

It does not require re-evaluating all jobs every year.

The law does not dictate any particular system for assigning points to jobs

It does not dictate statewide pay rates for any job.

It does not require "pay for points."

The "pay equity study" can be completed in about an hour for any jurisdiction with fewer than 10 job titles.

Management determines the value of each job, based on the skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions.

The law was written to address sex based pay inequities. Any pay raise that does not address the consistent pattern of paying women less then men for jobs of comparable value - is a misuse of the law. Anyone who gets a raise for any reason other than gender based pay inequity is not the result of Minnesota's pay equity law but rather management's decision to pay those people more for whatever reason.

Our View: Getting rid of the pay equity act is not solution | sctimes.com | St Cloud Times

2011-02-23T10:49:00.000-06:00

Our View: Getting rid of the pay equity act is not solution | sctimes.com | St Cloud Times

Women's earnings and employment by industry, 2009, Bureau Labor Statistics

2011-02-21T13:56:00.002-06:00

Star Tribune Comments: Gosh, you'd think the pay equity issue was solved

2011-02-20T11:09:00.002-06:00

This is Lori Sturdevant's take on the pay equity issue in Minnesota. We appreciate her insights!

Minnesota Daily Supports Pay Equity

2011-02-15T16:18:00.003-06:00

The Minnesota Daily is the University of Minnesota's newspaper. By the way -- the U of M is exempt from the Local Government Pay Equity Act -- due to its 'sovereignty' relationship with the state of Minnesota.

Our View: Pay equity law should remain - Mankato Free Press

2011-02-14T19:47:00.001-06:00

Our View: Pay equity law should remain

Bemidji Pioneer Editorial: Republicans would strip pay equity

2011-02-14T15:35:00.001-06:00

The byline of this article reads:

"Republicans, who lead both the Minnesota House and Senate, may have been overzealous in their attempt to trim government. Under the mantle of removing mandates from local governments, a Republican effort is underfoot to repeal the 1984 law that brings gender balance to public employment."

Click on the link above for the full article that appeared in the Bemidji Pioneer February 9, 2011.

Move to repeal pay equity is a foot at the capitol - Star Tribune

2011-02-09T10:01:00.003-06:00

Here's my two cents in response to the article......

The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota opposes the repeal of the local government's pay equity law for many reaons but here's a couple of quick ones.......

The law continues to put money in the pockets of hard-working women working in the public sector.

The pay equity law puts the onus on employers to fairly treat their employees in terms of wage setting.

The law is different than other federal and state pay equity laws that are complaint driven and require employees to sue their bosses to be compensated fairly. Suing your boss.......not a good idea.

This law goes well beyond the concept of equal pay for equal work -- it examines a job's value to an employer, regardless of gender, using criteria such as know how, problem solving, accountability, and working conditions.

Jobs are paid based on their job value. Statistical analysis determines whether or not there is a pattern of paying women less then men doing jobs of similar value to that employer.

If patterns of gender inequities are found in local units of governments, salary adjustments must be made to comply with the law.

And there you have it........

MinnPost - DFLers blast House bill eliminating equal pay provision

2011-02-08T19:52:00.000-06:00

MinnPost - DFLers blast House bill eliminating equal pay provision

DFL raises concerns over repeal effort of pay equity for women | Minnesota Public Radio News

2011-02-08T14:47:00.000-06:00

DFL raises concerns over repeal effort of pay equity for women | Minnesota Public Radio News

Minnesota House DFL Opposes Repeal of Pay Equity

2011-02-08T14:04:00.003-06:00

I attended a news conference today at the Minnesota state capitol hosted by the Minnesota House DFL. (Sorry for the sound quality in the video -- amateur here!) They stand in opposition to HF 7 - a bill to repeal the Local Government Pay Equity Act. Here is a short blurb from their press release:
"Our state faces a budget deficit, a jobs deficit, and now Republicans are trying to add an equality deficit.....This proposal distracts us from the real challenges facing Minnesotans while making it harder for working women to earn a wage they deserve. It makes no sense."

Growing Gender Gap in Starting Salaries for Physicians--with Men Making Nearly $17,000 More Than Women in 2008

2011-02-03T15:48:00.002-06:00

Received this in my inbox today. The trend continues. I can't figure out why anyone would assume women want more balance in their lives then men. Really?

I've included the contact information for those of you who want to follow-up with the study. In the mean time -- fighting the good pay equity fight here in Minnesota for public sector women.

Patty
______________________________________________________________________________________

February 03, 2011
12:01 AM EST
Kay Campbell
(301) 652-1558
kcampbell@burnesscommunications.com

Sue Ducat
Director of Communications
(301) 841-9962
sducat@projecthope.org

New Health Affairs Study Identifies Growing Gender Gap in Starting Salaries for Physicians--with Men Making Nearly $17,000 More Than Women in 2008

The Gap Isn't Explained by Women's Choice of Specialty, Practice Type, or Working Hours--What Causes It Isn't Known

Bethesda, MD--Newly trained physicians who are women are being paid significantly lower salaries than their male counterparts, according to a new study published in the February issue of Health Affairs. The authors identify an unexplained gender gap in starting salaries for physicians that has been growing steadily since 1999, increasing from a difference of $3,600 in 1999 to $16,819 in 2008. This gap exists even after accounting for gender differences in determinants of salary including medical specialty, hours worked, and practice type, say the authors.

The authors based their conclusions on survey data from physicians exiting training programs in New York State, which is home to more residency programs and resident physicians than any other state in the country (1,073 programs, according to data assembled by the Association of American Medical Colleges). The number of physicians in the survey sample included 4,918 men and 3,315 women.

The study findings are especially significant since women represent nearly half of all US medical students and are projected to make up about one-third of all practicing physicians at the beginning of this coming decade. Women had lower starting salaries than men in nearly all specialties, according to Anthony Lo Sasso, a professor and senior research scientist at the School of Public Health of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and his coauthors. The gap grew steadily from 1999 to 2008. In 1999, new women physicians earned $151,600 on average compared to $173,400 for men--a 12.5 percent salary difference. That difference grew to nearly 17 percent by 2008, with women starting out at $174,000 compared to $209,300 for men.

"It is not surprising to say that women physicians make less than male physicians because women traditionally choose lower-paying jobs in primary care fields or they choose to work fewer hours," says Lo Sasso. "What is surprising is that even when we account for specialty and hours and other factors, we see this growing unexplained gap in starting salary. The same gap exists for women in primary care as it does in specialty fields."

The authors contend that the differences in pay persist even when adjusting for differences in work hours, specialty choice, practice location, and numerous other factors. Potential reasons that cannot be ruled out include an increase in gender discrimination and that women are not as skilled as men at negotiating salaries.

But Lo Sasso believes that the divergence in starting salaries may have more to do with the fact that women physicians are seeking greater flexibility and family-friendly benefits, such as not being on call after certain hours. He suggests that women may be negotiating these conditions of employment at the same time that they are negotiating their starting salaries.

"It may be that lifestyle factors may be increasingly important to newer physicians," says Lo Sasso. "It could be that women in particular want to have more of a lifestyle balance in their medical careers."

Historically, women have disproportionately chosen primary care fields such as internal medicine, family practice, or pediatrics. But the percentage of women entering primary care dropped from nearly 50 percent in 1999 to just over 30 percent in 2008. Despite entering higher-paying specialties, the authors found that the widening gap in pay persisted. For example:

Female heart surgeons were paid $27,103 less on average than males.
Female otolaryngologists made $32,207 less than males.
Women specializing in pulmonary disease made $44,320 less than men.
Lo Sasso contends that physicians and specialty groups need to clearly understand what is motivating the gender gap in physician pay and address it, especially given the increased need for physicians, particularly in the primary care field. He cautions that policy makers and physician practices should reconsider how to attract providers, the structure of working arrangements, and how to pay providers.

About Health Affairs
Health Affairs, published by Project HOPE, is the leading journal of health policy. The peer-reviewed journal appears each month in print, with additional Web First papers published weekly at www.healthaffairs.org. You can also find the journal on Facebook and Twitter and download Narrative Matters on iTunes. Address inquiries to Sue Ducat at (301) 841-9962 or sducat@projecthope.org.

Equity law leads to pay raise | BrainerdDispatch.com | Brainerd, Minnesota

2011-01-26T17:06:00.000-06:00

Equity law leads to pay raise | BrainerdDispatch.com | Brainerd, Minnesota

The Minnesota Local Government Pay Equity Act -- eliminating unfair wages works!

New data on gender segregation and pay disparities in jobs | Remapping Debate

2011-01-21T13:06:00.002-06:00

New data on gender segregation and pay disparities in jobs | Remapping Debate

If one examined occupations with more than 90 percent women and more than 100,000 workers, there would only be six such occupations (as compared with 35 for men). Remapping Debate used less stringent measure of occupational domination — greater than 75 percent women — to yield the 30 occupations depicted in this data visualization.

In each and every one — whether large occupations like secretaries or teachers, or smaller occupations like payroll and timekeeping clerks — median earnings of women were less than those of men, although women did have median earnings in excess of 90 percent of those of men in several occupations.

In five cases — including registered nurses and elementary and middle school teachers — median pay for women was $40,000 or more a year (compared with 20 such occupations for men).

The highest median for women is that of registered nurses ($59,499). There were four occupations with more than 100,000 workers in total that had median incomes for men that were higher (including engineering managers and construction managers).

That's why we have to compensate women for the work they do -- not the work that men do. When accountability, problem solving, and know how are taken into consideration -- women's compensation stacks up against men! Comparable worth lives!

Women in the Workplace - KSMQ's "Cities on the Move" - Town Hall Special -

2011-01-12T21:14:00.003-06:00

Some very familiar faces in this video:)

http://www.youtube.com/ksmq#p/u/12/PQottLbsjGM

Pay Equity Law in Minnesota Targeted for Repeal

2011-01-10T16:19:00.003-06:00

Pay Equity Friends,

Today a bill, HF 7, was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives to repeal the Local Government Pay Equity Act (LGPEA). Other mandates are also included in the bill.

The LGPEA of 1984 (M.S. 471.991 to 471.999) required local governments (cities, counties, school districts, etc) to “establish equitable compensation relationships” by December 31, 1991. Other common terms for “equitable compensation relationships” are “comparable worth” or “pay equity.” Jurisdictions report to the Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget every three years.

The purpose of the law is “to eliminate sex-based wage disparities in public employment in this state.” Equitable compensation relationships are achieved when “the compensation for female-dominated classes is not consistently below the compensation for male-dominated classes of comparable work value…within the political subdivision.” (Minnesota Management & Budget “Minnesota Local Government Pay Equity Compliance Report”, January 2011).

The MMB’s January, 2011 report notes various pay increases as a result of inequities found in local governments who reported in 2010. Before the inequities were corrected, the average pay for females in the examples found in the report was $16.27 per hour. After pay equity adjustments were made, the average pay for females was $17.86 per hour.

What this report tells us is that the LGPEA is of vital importance to the lives of women working public sector jobs in Minnesota and that wage discrimination is alive and well. Not to mention that women still make $.22 less than men, on average, in the state of Minnesota.

We cannot allow the Local Government Pay Equity Act to be abolished! Please pass along this information within your networks.

Defending Pay Equity in Minnesota - A Call to Action

2010-12-17T13:02:00.002-06:00

Pay Equity Friends,

On December 10, 2010 The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce (www.mnchamber.com) released its findings regarding public employee compensation. One of their many recommendations is:

"State pay equity/comparable worth law should be repealed. Its purpose is outdated, and requiring governments to correct perceived “errors” in labor markets based on bureaucratic and subjective assessments of the relative value of government jobs is an unnecessary and costly mandate." (compstudy.highlighlights.final.12.9.10.pdf, p.7.)

We, of course, do not agree. The purpose of the state pay equity/comparable worth law is to eliminate “discrimination against women who are paid less than men for jobs requiring comparable levels of expertise.” (http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/comp-pay-equity) It is very likely there will be legislation introduced this legislative session, which begins January 3, 2011, in response to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and NAIOP Minnesota’s recommendations. The Chamber of Commerce is the state’s largest business advocacy organization.

The State Government Pay Equity Act and the Local Government Pay Equity Act were passed in 1982 and 1984 respectively. The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota is dedicated to defending the laws and ensuring they are not weakened or repealed.

Both pieces of legislation have been very successful in putting more money into the pockets of hard working women in the public sector. These laws go far beyond the concept of equal pay for equal work – which we know has been largely ineffective in terms of decreasing the wage gap between fulltime working women and men. According to a report released in June, 2010 by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and the Humphrey Institute: “White, African American and Latina women earn $0.76, $0.61 and $0.56 on the dollar, respectively, compared to white men”. (http://www.wfmn.org/research/?51). The State Government Pay Equity Act has helped to eliminate this gap for state employees -- except for $.03 of it!

We can use your help! It is important that our side is represented at the State Capitol this winter. As much as we look to our volunteers for help, it is important that paid professionals come to our aid as well, and that requires money.

If you or your organization can help, please send your check donations to our fiscal agent:

Minnesota Women’s Consortium
550 Rice St.
St. Paul, MN 55103
Check tagline: Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota

Please contact me any time if you have any questions about the efforts of the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota. We are also available to speak at your events.

Sincerely,

Patty Tanji

Minnesota Public Employee Compensation is Under Attack

2010-12-14T10:06:00.005-06:00

More money troubles are brewing here in Minnesota. On December December 10, 2010 the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce released its report on public employee compensation. Here's the link on their home page.

http://www.mnchamber.com/

AFSCME Council 5 responded on December 11, 2010. Here's the link to their response:

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4708

Briefly -- it looks like the Tax Payer Association has pegged Minnesota public employee wages as too high and AFSCME Council 5 thinks they are just fine.

Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota will respond to the Chamber's report shortly after we get a chance to mill it over.

Stay tuned.....

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on US Senate's failure to pass Paycheck Fairness Act

2010-11-20T16:24:00.000-06:00

PR-USA.net - Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on US Senate's failure to pass Paycheck Fairness Act

Pay Envy and What to Do About

2010-11-04T07:46:00.002-05:00

Check out Chris Walker's response in the comments. He ran a quick salary check using jobsearchintelligence.com. I've cut and pasted his response here. Thank you Chris.

"Check the salary calculator at jobsearchintelligence.com. I ran a calculation on male & female accountants in Akron, OH with the same education and experience. The calculator uses 12 datapoints, here's the results:
MALE 'Your salary survey data results for Accountants in Akron, OH:
There are 2910 persons employed as Accountants in Akron, OH.
Entry level range salaries (The 10th percentile) for this occupation are $38850
The median salary for this occupation is $57220.
The top earners for this occupation have an annualized salary of $90850
Based upon the information that you have provided, the market will likely offer you an annual salary of $62700'

FEMALE:'Based upon the information that you have provided, the market will likely offer you an annual salary of $49100.
As a reference, a person who is not subject to any gender bias or racial bias, with the same qualifications as those listed by you is currently earning an annual salary of $62700'"

Pay for Performance leads to Bias

2010-10-25T11:25:00.003-05:00

This is a study done by MIT researcher Emilio Castella. I found the article's link at workforce.com. You may have to subscribe as a member to get to the link. This website is worth it -- and its free as long as you don't mind the occasional email touting a book or a conference or webinar. I've actually attend two webinars as a result of joining the 'free website.

The study concludes what is becoming more and more obvious to those of us following equitable compensation practices. The practice of wage setting must be as open and transparent as possible. In this study employees who received similar performance ratings were in fact not given the same pay raises. The folks who were responsible for setting pay took the liberty of fine tuning the pay adjustments. The same formula was not applied to all employees resulting in bias. Oops.

Here's the MIT sloan link:

http://mitsloan.mit.edu/newsroom/2008-castilla.php

Motherhood and the Wage Gap

2010-10-19T12:58:00.002-05:00

Just found this article courtesy of the Society for Human Resource Management. See link above.

I found this section of interest, especially the last sentence:

"Previous studies on wage differences by gender have found that roughly half of an observed 20 percent gender gap cannot be explained by the usual factors that drive wages, such as experience, hours worked, occupation, industry, age and the like," said report co-author Beata Caranci, deputy chief economist at TD Economics. "The research leads us to conclude that exits from the labor force, most often related to family or motherhood—not gender—are the culprit behind this 'unexplained' wage gap."

Here's what I know -- one of the logical properties of equality we learned in high school math....

The transitive property states:

* For any quantities a, b, and c, if a = b and b = c, then a = c.

Wage gap logic:

Exits = 'unexplained' wage gap
family or motherhood = Exits
'unexplained' wage gap ≠ family or motherhood

The math doesn't add up to me. Also, I presume motherhood still means female since 99.99999999% of mothers are women (could be more but I'm leaving room for speculation).

I just really can't draw any more conclusions around this report. I'll let you try. Feel free to post a response.

Females are equal to males in math skills, large study shows

2010-10-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Females are equal to males in math skills, large study shows

Costco Salaries Online

2010-09-29T13:24:00.007-05:00

I've been searching for tools to make payroll processes transparent. I came across this list of Costco salaries -- all posted anonymously. I'm not sure if this was done by an outside third party or if the process is blessed by Costco internally. Either way, it gives employees and potential employees an idea of where they fit or could fit in terms of pay within the organization. I think this is a step forward into instilling transparency into payroll processes -- but the goal - in a completely open payroll process is for everyone to know what everyone earns and why. This is the only way to avoid litigation and build trust into the system. Think Lilly Ledbetter -- who found out she was paid a great deal less than her male colleagues -- from an anonymous note. Ledbetter's salary and those of her male colleagues were so grossly disproportionate to each other that the only recourse for Mrs. Ledbetter was to sue her employer. The problem would never have escalated to that level if her employer were open and honest about pay. Time to stop hiding behind payroll secrecy. And, can we please get rid of pay bands while we're at it! But, that's for another post.

Workplace Salaries: At Last, Women on Top

2010-09-24T10:11:00.000-05:00

Workplace Salaries: At Last, Women on Top

The Word About Minnesota Pay Equity Practices is Getting Around and Some Folks Don't Like It

2010-09-09T16:09:00.014-05:00

This article (click above) and the latest census data is not news. We have always known, in Minnesota, that women and men are paid similarly early on in their careers. We also know that in some tiny markets like Minneapolis, as compared to the country as a whole, young women are fairing better than their male counterparts. The gap widens as women and men progress in their careers for many of the reasons addressed in this anti-pay equity opinion article. The market has a funny way of treating the work that women do. Quite simply the market (a bunch of people making decisions about pay) undervalues the work women do for a gazillion different reasons -- some rational, some irrational.

Let's take a look at this sentence from the opinion piece:

"The state of Minnesota has precisely such a board, which at one time held that a delivery van driver and a clerk typist had to be paid the same wages because they did "equal work." "

I have to say the above sentence is full of inaccuracies -- which I won't address -- except to say that the way pay equity works for local governments in Minnesota is a combination of:

1. similar pay for work of comparable value for each job class
2. market wages,
3. seniority,
4. merit

I think the general public would be bored to tears if I went into the statistical analyses that goes into every pay equity review. You will also be surprised to learn that the 'board' is one person. But if anyone wants to learn the details of what local governments are required to report every 3 years-- and wants to take me out to lunch or have a cup of coffee -- let's talk.

"Women Are People, Too!": The Groundbreaking Article by Betty Friedan

2010-08-25T15:10:00.000-05:00

"Women Are People, Too!": The Groundbreaking Article by Betty Friedan

Harris Interactive: Harris Polls Three in Five Americans Say U.S. Has Long Way to Go to Reach Gender Equality

2010-08-25T12:03:00.000-05:00

Harris Interactive: Harris Polls Three in Five Americans Say U.S. Has Long Way to Go to Reach Gender Equality

Publishing Employee Salaries - Help Gender Pay Inequities?

2010-08-18T13:44:00.000-05:00

In Minnesota local governments report job classes, whether or not the job class is female or male dominated or neutral & pay ranges for that job class. Why? To determine if there are any patterns of paying jobs dominated by women less than jobs dominated by men that are of similar work value. But, what if each individual salary was published like it is for the province of British Columbia?

In the province of British Columbia all 30,000 salaries are published annually. For those of you who wish to see it to believe it check out:

http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/OCG/pa/07_08/Detailed_Schedule_Pymts.pdf

P.S. Conventional wisdom would have us believe that knowing everyone's salary acts as a demotivator. I believe the opposite is true -- not knowing salaries increases the level of distrust between employee and employer and increases the likelihood of pay inequities. This is true for any internal equity issues -- not just gender.

Wages for New York Women Outpace National Average | workforce.com

2010-08-17T11:11:00.000-05:00

Wages for New York Women Outpace National Average | workforce.com

Federal News Radio 1500 AM: Labor hires more to monitor pay equity

2010-08-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

: Labor hires more to monitor pay equity

2010-06-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

Seems there will be a new "Collaborative Governance Council" at the Minnesota State Legislature. According to Minnesota's Revisor of Statutes, the participants (not all known to be friendly to pay equity) are:
(1) League of Minnesota Cities;
(2) Minnesota Association of Townships;
(3) Association of Minnesota Counties;
(4) Minnesota School Board Association;
(5) American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 5;
(6) Education Minnesota;
(7) Service Employees International Union; and
(8) the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

.....and their purpose is:

(a) The council shall develop
recommendations to the governor and the legislature designed to increase collaboration
in government. These recommendations may include, but are not limited to, strategies,
policies, or other actions focused on the following:
(1) the review of statutes, laws, and rules that slow or prevent collaboration efforts;
(2) the use of collaboration to improve the delivery of governmental services;
(3) the use of technology to connect entities and share information, including
broadband access;
(4) the modernization of financial transactions and their oversight by facilitating
credit and debit card transactions, electronic funds, transfers, and electronic data
interchange; and
(5) the creation of model forms for joint power agreements.

The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota will monitor this group in order to protect pay equity statutes in Minnesota.

Pay Equity in New Mexico Moves Forward

2010-06-01T11:28:00.000-05:00

There is a great deal of information for New Mexico state contractors on the state of New Mexico's website at:

http://www.generalservices.state.nm.us/spd/pay_e.html

"Effective July 1, 2010, businesses seeking new contracts with any Executive Branch state agency will be required to comply with the requirements of Executive Order 2009-049, to aid in identifying and combating pay inequity and job segregation in the State of New Mexico, as a condition of being awarded a contract. Background and compliance information, as well as the necessary reporting forms, may be obtained from this web page. "

Winding Down the 2010 Minnesota Legislative Session

2010-05-12T21:08:00.000-05:00

I realize it's not over yet -- but I want to thank the Policy Corps fellows of Grasstops for monitoring the committees for us this year. No major threats to Minnesota's pay equity laws I'm happy to report.

Thanks also to our coalition members for keeping your eyes and ears open at the capitol. The women of Minnesota who have received pay raises as a result of unfair pay practices and those who will in the future -- thank you.

Resources for More $ in your Pocket!

2010-05-12T20:54:00.000-05:00

If you were not able to join us at Minnesota Business Women's (Un)happy hour on April 30th -- here's what you missed...

On average women in Minnesota make 21 cents less for every dollar a man makes . That’s close to 1 million dollars over a life time. There are many reasons for this phenomenon – today we focus on solutions because we have the power!

Educate Yourself
o www.wageproject.org to calculate what your job is worth in your area.

Practice
o Attend salary negotiation workshops or read any salary negotiation book then practice on a trusted friend. We recommend “Ask For It” by Linda Babcock & Sara Laschever because it is women centered. Workshops are tougher to find unless you are a recent college graduate. Check out Employment Action Center Women’s programs (612) 752-8444 or WIT@resource-mn.org.

Upgrade Your Skills
o Retrain & retool for the future. Attend a RichChicks class – www.richchicks.org. Check out Employment Action Center’s Women’s programs (612) 752-8444
or WIT@resource-mn.org.

Public Policy
o Call Senator Amy Klobuchar (202-224-3244) and Senator Al Franken ((202) 224-5641) and ask them to support the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill helps close loop holes in the Equal Pay Act that made it difficult for women to win claims of pay discrimination. As a matter of fact only 15% of all discrimination claims are ever won! Patty Tanji, President Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota’s Advise is: “Do not sue your boss!”

The above acts will help but won’t completely eliminate the gender wage gap until the work of women (that includes caregiving) is considered as valuable as the work of men in our culture – enough so that we are willing to pay for it – all of it!

2010-03-20T12:16:00.001-05:00

Take Action
Learn More

Equal Pay Day Tuesday, April 20, 2010

2010-03-20T11:58:00.000-05:00

Equal Pay Day is recognized annually by pay equity advocates around the country. In many communities in Minnesota and in the United States, equal pay day events take place to call attention to the wage gap between full time, year round, working women and men which is about $.22 (men earning more). Additionally it takes women about 15 months to earn as much as men do in 12 months, so creative events such as "unhappy hours" occur in mid-April. Check out Minnesota Business Women's 'unhappy hour' on April 30, 2010, 5:00-6:30 p.m. -- sponsored by Rich Chicks. The event takes place at the Crowne Plaza North in Brooklyn Center. The website is: www.mnbusinesswomen.org

U.S. Senate Hearing Paycheck Fairness

2010-03-10T20:57:00.000-06:00

There will be a full U.S. Senate committee hearing -- 'A Fair Share for All: Pay Equity in the New American Workplace' March 11th at 10:00 e.s.t.

You should be able to view the hearing of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee at:

http://help.senate.gov/hearings/hearing/?id=263e16b9-5056-9502-5db9-e17bfa4f6e01

If this doesn't work goto: http://help.senate.gov/
-- and look for the appropriate hearing.

Pay Equity in New Mexico

2010-02-15T13:59:00.001-06:00

Governor Bill Richardson Directs State Government to Ensure Gender Pay Equity, Lead New Mexico to Equity Goals (12/8/09)
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/press/2009/dec/121809_02.pdf

SANTA FE – Governor Bill Richardson today signed an executive order directing agencies under his control to report annually and remedy any gender pay gaps among their workers, and establishing a firm schedule and process for private contractors with the State to do the same.

The Governor’s directives come from recommendations by his Task Force on Fair and Equal Pay, created last year to examine gender and racial pay equity and job segregation within state government. Dr. Martha Burk, the Governor’s Senior Advisor on Women’s Issues, chaired the Task Force, which was composed of members from the private and public sectors.

“Eliminating the pay gap that all too often prevails between men and women is a top priority of mine,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “New Mexico is taking the lead among the states to greater pay equity in the larger workforce and economy. Our actions can serve as a national model. This is an important economic justice and civil rights issue, and common sense requires it.”

Today’s executive order directs all state executive agencies to submit reports on pay equity annually beginning next year. Where pay gaps exist, agencies will submit plans to overcome any non job-related pay gaps.

Beginning July 1, 2010, vendors and contractors of 10 or more employees will file a pay equity report with the State of New Mexico every year. By next fall, a working group appointed by the Governor will develop and issue a point system for incentivizing progress toward pay equity in the scoring of Requests for Proposals, and other bidding processes for State of New Mexico work. The State Personnel Office will provide technical assistance to agencies, contractors and prospective contractors for complying with this Order.

A survey by the Governor’s task Force found gender pay inequities in New Mexico state government are less than the national average.

PECOM -- Minnesota 2010 Session Begins

2010-02-04T12:38:00.000-06:00

Pay Equity Friends,

We're gearing up for another legislative session.

PECOM's 2010 initiatives:

1. Defend current pay equity laws. Monitor appropriate committee activity and be ready should attempts to weaken current laws surface.

2. Educate Minnesota legislators and the public on the current pay equity statutes.

3. Act as consultant to state and municipalities around the country who look to Minnesota as leaders in pay equity.

4. Monitor any initiatives that affect women's economic well being such as paid sick days and job creation incentives. Additionally, encourage any new jobs created in our state be in compliance with current pay equity statutes.

We appreciate our volunteers and hope you will continue to support us. Additionally, in order to execute our initiatives we are undertaking the fee based services of policy consultants.

If you or your organization can help us monetarily please send a check to our fiscal agent:

The Minnesota Women's Consortium,
Tagline: Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota
550 Rice St.
St. Paul, MN 55103

Don't hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
Also, please let me know if you know longer wish to receive notices from the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota. Send me a note at ptanji@aol.com.

Thanks everyone,

Patty Tanji
Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota
ptanji@aol.com
651-271-1462

More Pay Equity in Minnesota

2008-04-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

THE FACTS...

• Women still earn less than men. Both in Minnesota and the U.S., women still earn on average only about three-fourths of average earnings for men. This is true despite passage of the federal Equal Pay Act in 1972.

• Minnesota has 2 successful pay equity laws on the books. Minnesota passed unique pay equity laws in 1982 (for state government employees) and 1984 (for local government employees). These laws have worked very well and arestill being enforced today. Results:• About 20,000 women work in state government. Their overall average pay is up to 97% of average pay for men in state government – up from 72% when the law was passed.

• But 89% of Minnesota women work in the private and non-profit sectors, so the state pay equity laws have not helped them.

• The State of Minnesota contracts with over 1,800 private and non-profit firms for billions of dollars each year. To be eligible for state contracts, these companies are already required to submit affirmative action plans to the state Department of Human Rights (DHR). DHR reviews theseplans and certifies approved companies to the Department of Administration.

• The “Pay Equity for Contractors” bill requires companies wishing to contract with the state to submit pay equity plans to the Department of Human Rights, in addition to the affirmative action plans already required, to be eligible as contractors.

• The law would apply to contracts for more than $100,000 and companies with more than 40 employees in Minnesota.

• Private employers can use free job evaluation tools and job analysis software from the Department of Employee relations.

• The bill uses the same standard for pay equity already incorporated in the public employers’ law and rules.

• Human Rights can certify employers making a good faith effort.

• Data submitted by non-public potential contractors will be private.

• The bill increases the certification fee by $75 per contractor, to provide resources for administering the plan reviews.

• This bill puts employers in the driver seat in terms of identifying and addressing pay inequities. It goes beyond the“one woman at a time” approach to addressing pay inequities as is the case today in the private sector.

For more information: --- Patty Tanji, President, Pay Equity Coalition, ptanji@aol.com or 651/271-1462.

Equal Pay Day

2008-04-10T21:08:00.000-05:00

Equal Pay Day is an annual event hosted in many communities around Minnesota and the United States, noting that it takes women about 15 months to earn as much money as men earn in 12 months – so creative events such as "unhappy hours" occur in mid-April. Tuesday, April 22, 2008, has been designated National Equal Pay Day. As we get closer to the date, please stay tuned for a list of Equal Pay Day activities in Minnesota, by visiting the website of one of the major sponsors, Business and Professional Women of Minnesota, www.bpwmn.org.

Pay Equity in Minnesota

2008-04-10T21:02:00.000-05:00

PAY EQUITY COALITION OF MINNESOTA

Mission: To eliminate the wage gap between women and men employed full timein Minnesota's paid labor force. We do this by educating the public about unfair gender based pay inequities and advocating for social change.

About the Pay Equity Coalition:

The Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota is an unincorporated network of organizations and individuals. The group came together initially to support the State Government Pay Equity Act of 1982 (M.S. 43A) and Local Government Pay Equity Act of 1984 (M.S. 471.991 – 471.999). Both of these laws are unique in the nation, and both continue to be monitored and enforced. The result is most visible in state government employment, where average earnings for female employees has increased from 72% of earnings for male employees in 1982 to 97% of earnings for male employees in 2006.

Contact Us:

To join the Pay Equity Coalition and receive email notices of current activity, write President Patty Tanji, ptanji@aol.com.

Our mailing address for donations and other business is c/o Minnesota Women’s Consortium, 550 Rice Street, St. Paul 55103.

National Pay Equity Activity

The Paycheck Fairness Act has recently (spring 2007) been re-introduced in Congress. For more information about this and other national and international pay equity initiatives, go to www.pay-equity.org

Resources:

The Office on the Economic Status of Women in the Minnesota Legislature has a report on pay equity on its website, www.oesw.leg.mn.

The Pay Equity Coalition is a member organization of the Minnesota Women’s Consortium. Many other member groups, including the Association of University Women, Business and Professional Women, League of Women Voters, and others have been long-time supporters of pay equity. Visit the Consortium website, www.mnwomen.org, for contact information for these and other groups committed to economic equality for women.

The Minnesota Department of Employee Relations Pay Equity Unit offers technical assistance, instructions for job evaluation, pay analysis, completing pay equity reports, a free Job Match evaluation system, and free computer software for pay analysis.www.doer.state.mn.us/lr-peqty/lr-peqty.htm or Pay Equity Coordinator Faith Zwemke, Faith.Zwemke@state.mn.us, or 651/259-3761.

Earn More, Move Up: A New Look at the Gender Pay Differential (edited by Jennifer Keil, Ph.D.) was published in March 2007 by the Center for Economic Progress. Cost of the book is $15. To order, visit the CEP website, www.economicprogress.net.

During the 2007 Minnesota State Legislative session the Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota mobilized to the pass the "Pay Equity for State Contractors Bill". Below you will find Facts and Frequently Asked Questions regarding this bill.

Helping Women Achieve Financial Security

2008-02-08T19:53:00.000-06:00

How can I improve my pay, working conditions and benefits like flextime and health insurance?

Collective bargaining(union) resources:

Education Minnesota
651/227-9541
http://www.educationminnesota.org/
Statewide organization for teachers and related professions.

Minneapolis Federation of Teachers
612/529-9621
http://www.mft59.org/
Agent for teachers of Minneapolis Special School District #1.

Minnesota Nurses Association
651/646-4807
http://www.mnnurses.org/
Represents nurses and nursing assistants in 13 districts statewide.

Service Employees International Union
612/331/4690
http://www.seiumn.org/
Statewide and local representation for hotel, restaurant, and other service workers.

Third District Nurses
952/920-9860
http://www.nursesce.org/
A grassroots arm of MN Nurses Association. Professional development opportunities and other needs of all registered nurses within Anoka, Carver, Hennepin and Scott counties of Minnesota.

What can I do if I think I’m being discriminated against?

American Association of University Women
651/385-8591
http://www.aauw.org/
AAUW is the largest funder of sex discrimination lawsuits in the world. There are 37 AAUW branches in Minnesota.

Les Soeurs
612/861-3936
Support and information specific to discrimination in employment. Statewide.

Pay Equity Coalition of Minnesota
ptanji@aol.com
Information on enforcement of the State Government Pay Equity Act of 1982 and the Local Government Pay Equity Act of 1984. Statewide.

Workplace Justice
952/996-9291
General information on workplace rights and responsibilities, support group, and problem-solving for workplace difficulties such as discrimination, harassment, and other forms of abuse. Twin Cities metro area.

Educate Yourself

2008-02-08T18:32:00.000-06:00

1. Check out http://www.wageproject.org/ to determine if you are being paid unfairly.

2. Read Getting Even by Evelyn Murphy and start a wage club.

3. See if your salary is near the median range for your occupation at www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm

Workplace Justice meets on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month (10am-12pm 550 Rice St, Saint Paul). Share your pay discrimination stories with other women in this self-help support group. Your anonymity will be guaranteed. Call 952-996-9291 for more info.

Risk taking, communication skills, women's labor market choices, Minnesota's pay equity laws and how people played together when they were young are all topics discussed in the book "Earn More, Move Up". Request your copy at jtroutlowen@gmail.com.

Ways You Can Help Close the Wage Gap

2008-02-08T18:21:00.000-06:00

1. Send donations to the Pay Equity Coalition to:
550 Rise St., Saint Paul, MN 55103

2. The coalition is looking for a private sector business to act as the subject of a pay equity analysis. The purpose of the study is to determine if the effectiveness of the pay equity tools used by MN public sector employees is transferable to private sector businesses. The identity of the business participating in the study will be anonymous. Please send any business subject suggestions to ptanji@aol.com.

3. Ask candidates in your area if they are familiar with the wage gap between men and women? Do they support legislation, such as Minnesota's Local Government Pay Equity Act to ensure women are paid fairly?

4. Check out the Fair Pay Act , The Paycheck Fairness Act, the Fair Pay Restoration Act and make sure your elected officials in Washington support them.

Share Your Thoughts on Pay Equity

2008-01-05T12:30:00.000-06:00

How has pay equity affected you?

Are you paid less for the work you do because it's 'women's work'?

Have the MN laws on pay equity been helpful to you and your family?

Please share your stories about pay equity with us. Tell us whether pay equity makes a difference in your life. We are working to eliminate the 'gender gap' in earnings and want to stay connected to real people in real jobs.

Pay Equity Quiz

2008-01-05T12:21:00.000-06:00

1. In 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was passed, women made ___¢ on the dollar compared to men.
a. 59¢ b. 63¢ c. 74¢ d. 81¢

2. Today that figure is ___¢ on the dollar compared to men.
a. 85¢ b. 91¢ c. 72¢ d. 77¢

3. Black women earn ___¢ on the dollar compared to white men.
a. 65¢ b. 72¢ c. 85¢ d. 87¢

4. Hispanic women earn ___¢ on the dollar compared to white men.
a. 59¢ b. 52¢ c. 72¢ d. 82¢

5. Over a lifetime, how much less will women earn than men?
a. $550,000 b. $700,000 c. $1,200,000 d. $2,000,000

6. Under the Equal Pay Act, employers cannot pay women and minorities less than white men with the same qualifications for doing the same job.True False

7. Under the Equal Pay Act, plaintiffs are entitled to compensatory and punitive damages if their employer has violated the law.
True False

8. Women make up __% of the American labor force today.
a. 38% b. 42% c. 44.5% d. 46%

ANSWERS:
1.a
2.d
3.b
4.a

5.b, c, and d are all correct, for women with high school, college, and professional postgraduate degrees respectively, according to Evelyn Murphy, economist and founder and president of The WAGE Project.

6. False. The Equal Pay Act mandates that employers cannot pay workers less based on sex. It does not address racial discrimination. Race discrimination cases have been brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which has a much tougher burden of proof.

7. False. Under the Equal Pay Act, awards are limited to two years prior to filing the complaint in court or three years if there is a finding that the act of the employer was willful. A plaintiff may also be awarded liquidated damages, which can double her back pay award, but she still may not recover all of the money she's lost over the entire period of years she's been underpaid.

8. d

Developed by the National Committee on Pay Equity.
Note: Wage gap statistics provided in questions 1-4 are derived from the median annual earnings information for year-round, full-time workers as published by the Census Bureau for the year 2005 (the latest year for which Census wage data is available).

Pay Equity Q&A

2008-01-05T12:02:00.000-06:00

Q: What is pay equity?

A: Pay equity is a means of eliminating sex and race discrimination in the wage-setting system. Many women and people of color are still segregated into a small number of jobs such as clerical, service workers, nurses and teachers. These jobs have historically been undervalued and continue to be underpaid to a large extent because of the gender and race of the people who hold them. Pay equity means that the criteria employers use to set wages must be sex- and race-neutral.

Q: How large is the wage gap?

A: 2005 Median Annual Earnings of Year-Round, Full-Time Workers

All Men All Women
$41,386 (100%) $31,858 (77%)

Men Women

White $41,982 White $32,173
Black $33,077 Black $29,672
Asian $48,069 Asian $36,092
Hispanic $26,769 Hispanic $24,214
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, Series PINC-05

Q: Hasn't the wage gap closed considerably in recent years?

A: The wage gap has narrowed by about 15 percentage points during the last 23 years, ranging from 62 percent in 1982 to 77 percent in 2005. Since 1973, however, approximately 60 percent of the change in the wage gap is due to the fall in men's real earnings and only about 40 percent to the increase in women's wages. At this rate of change, the Institute for Women's Policy Research estimates that it will take until 2057 to close the wage gap.

Q: What is the status of efforts to achieve pay equity?

A: Pay equity is a growing national movement building on the progress made in the 1980s, when twenty states made some adjustments of payrolls to correct for sex or race bias. (Seven of these states successfully completed full implementation of a pay equity plan. Twenty-four states including Washington, DC conducted studies to determine if sex was a wage determinant. Four states examined their compensation systems to correct race bias, as well.)

In the last few years, pay equity bills have been introduced in more than 25 legislatures. On the federal level, the Fair Pay Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton, and in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tom Harkin. The Fair Pay Act would expand the Equal Pay Act's protections against wage discrimination to workers in equivalent jobs with similar skills and responsibilities, even if the jobs are not identical. In addition, the Paycheck Fairness Act has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Hillary Clinton and in the U.S. House by Representative Rosa DeLauro. The Paycheck Fairness Act would amend the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide more effective remedies to workers who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work.