Dear Neighbors,
Today, we recognize National Equal Pay Day for women. Equal Pay Day for ALL women should be on December 31, but sadly it's not. The average woman must work far into the next year to earn the wages of what the average man would earn the previous year.
Here’s the breakdown of the wage gap by demographic for women compared to white, non-Hispanic men:
Asian-American Women: March 7, 2017* -- $.85 (cents)
White Women: May 1, 2017 -- $.75 (cents)
African-American Women: July 31, 2017 -- $.63 (cents)
Native American Women: September 25, 2017 -- $.58 (cents)
Latinas: November 2, 2017 -- $.54 (cents)
Moms compared to Dads: May 23, 2017 -- $.71 (cents)
*Equal Pay figures for this community vary widely by ethnicity
These statistics and figures speak directly to why paid family leave should be a part of the discussion to address this disparity. Here in Minnesota, this legislative initiative received zero consideration from House Republicans.
I will continue to fight for women in my community and state to achieve equal pay for equal work.
Sincerely,
Raymond Dehn
State Representative