By Marisol Swadener
Latina Equal Pay Day is October 29, 2020, although some sources note that the day may actually take place on November 19. The Latina Equal Pay Day marks the day that a Latina “catches up” to what a white, non-Hispanic male earned last year for equal work. Yes, you read that correctly — a Latina works almost two full years to earn what a white, non-Hispanic male earned in 12 months. There are several Equal Pay Days celebrated throughout the year, but the Latina Equal Pay Day is the last one each year, showing that Latinas are the most adversely affected women of color.
Research shows that women of color in the workforce experience a widening pay gap due to both gender discrimination and racial discrimination. According to WomenEmployed.Org, Asian American and Pacific Islander women make an average of 90 cents for every dollar paid to white working men; African American women make 62 cents; Native American women make 57 cents; while Latinas make just 54 cents for every dollar paid to a white man. This means that over a Latina’s professional career, she can miss out on approximately $1.1 million according to the research done by the National Women’s Law Center.
To make matters worse, the Latina wage gap exists regardless of profession, education, work experience, and age. As a Latina becomes more educated and gains work experience, the wage gap actually widens regardless of profession. As a Latina attorney, I was hired alongside a white, non-Hispanic male attorney and later found out I was paid less even though we had the same experience and education. Discussing salaries was taboo at the firm and, unfortunately, this lack of transparency led to favoritism and disparities in salaries. After some time, I was promoted to a senior position and delegated more responsibilities, yet a raise was not forthcoming until almost a year later, which only compounded the pay disparity. Unfortunately, this scenario is commonplace at many workplaces regardless of profession, and change to prohibit pay disparities based on gender and/or race has been slow.
The Equal Pay Act of 1963 was one of the first legislation pieces to address gender-based pay discrimination by mandating equal pay for equal work and thus meant to help close the wage gap. Over the years, this Act has largely been sidelined due to legislative inaction, loopholes, and court rules, meaning the wage gap has yet to be eliminated or narrowed in any substantial way. As federal action has been slow, some states have passed pay equity legislation to help close the wage gap, but other states have been unwilling to step up.
Eliminating the pay gap would not only positively impact the Latina worker, but would improve the lives of Latinx families and, in turn, communities. The National Partnership for Women and Families3 states that if the pay gap was eliminated, Latinas would earn enough money to pay for an additional 36 months of child care, nearly 20 months of health care premiums, three years of tuition at a four-year college, or two full years at a community college. The numbers are truly sobering. Closing the wage gap would give Latinx families the money necessary for upward mobility, as that extra money would go toward child care, education, health care, or basic necessities such as food and rent. One can see that this could have a positive ripple effect for entire communities and the economy.
Now that we know the painful truth about the Latina Equal Pay Day, what can we do to fix it? I urge all professionals who are in a position of authority at the workplace to review wages and remedy any wage disparities. It is the law in California that equal work must receive equal pay. Wages and promotions should be objective and based on clear guidelines to reduce the tendency for favoritism. To my fellow working Latinas — don’t be shy. Review your last pay raise, do some research as to what your wages should be, and sit down with management to request a pay increase!
Encourage and mentor women to apply for leadership positions or positions of authority so they can be part of the decision-making process. Spread the word about the gender and racial wage gap and the need to eliminate it. And most importantly, VOTE for candidates who support legislation that closes the wage gap. It has been a hard road to get to where we are today as women in the workplace, but there is still work to do and it will take all our efforts to advance equal pay in the workforce for all.
Excellent article!