Latest Data Shows Earnings Ratio by County
Kansas City, Mo. – Ahead of Equal Pay Day on April 10th, the Women’s Foundation is encouraging employers to implement equal pay best practices to ensure gender pay parity among their employees. An updated analysis from the Women’s Foundation and the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy shows women in Missouri who work full-time, year-round, earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.
The Equal Pay Best Practices encourage employers to self audit pay disparities, evaluate their pay systems and promote pay transparency. Additionally, Women’s Foundation urged employers to rid their businesses of sexual harassment. Recent research indicates victims of sexual harassment not only suffer professionally but also financially.
“While some progress has been made to narrow the pay gap, we know there’s more work to do – especially for women of color who are still paid far less than men for the same work,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “Our Equal Pay Best Practices can help employers lead the way with research-informed solutions designed to close the pay gap and promote equity for all women. Women and their families simply cannot afford wait decades for the pay gap to close. And with a sustained effort by all of us, they won’t have to.”
The Women’s Foundation promotes research-informed solutions to close the gender pay gap and help America’s working families. Last year, U.S. Census data showed that while the female-to-male earnings ratio climbed to a record 80.5 percent, women of color continue to face significant disparities. Black women are typically paid 63 cents and Latinas are paid just 54 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
In Missouri, data compiled by the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy shows that the gender pay gap is widest in the following Missouri counties: Reynolds, Ste. Genevieve, Douglas, Pemiscot, Carroll, Bollinger, St. Clair, Clinton, Lincoln, and Chariton.
While some communities are still struggling with pay equity, there are some counties in Missouri that are showing progress including DeKalb, Putnam, Osage, Stone, Daviess, Camden, Texas, Pike, Carter, and Ozark.
“The pay gap is a complex problem – and everyone has a role to play in being part of the solution: individual women negotiating for higher pay, employers following best practices, and policymakers prioritizing equity and opportunity for all workers,” continued Doyle.
Complete county-by-county data for Missouri is available here.
To learn more about how the Women’s Foundation is working toward equal pay for equal work visit their website.
Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information about the organization can be found at www.Womens-Foundation.org.