United WE held a virtual press conference today to announce findings from ongoing research on the Status of Women in Kansas. United WE commissioned the study with the University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research in an effort to analyze women’s progress to better identify areas of concern and potential policy insights for women of all ages.
This research illuminates important findings, implications, and policy insights as women are being disproportionately affected by the economic and societal effects of COVID-19. Kansas maintains higher female labor force participation than the U.S., however, the gender earnings gap is wider in Kansas. For Kansas women, 73.5% are employed while only 69.6% of U.S. women participate in the labor force. Women in Kansas earned 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man in 2020.
Covid has illuminated how challenging it is to fully participate in the workforce when childcare is compromised. The research shows that infant care in Kansas is less affordable than most other states, accounting for 29% of female median earnings in Kansas. The unemployment rate rose dramatically at the beginning of the pandemic, with the rate for U.S. women peaking at over 16% in April 2020. Kansas women’s unemployment peaked at 7.6% in June 2020 and remained higher than men’s through August 2020.
“The pandemic has brought long-time gender inequities such as pay equity, paid family and medical leave, childcare and flexible work options further to the forefront,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “It is our collective responsibility to take this research, identify innovative solutions, educate elected officials and community leaders, and unite to advance and support policies that strengthen Kansas women and families for the economic development of our state.”
The 2021 findings highlight areas of possible action to help economically empower women and their families. Findings from the research include the following:
Employment & Earnings
In Kansas in 2020, for every dollar earned by a man, women made only 78 cents. This is less than the national average of $0.82 per dollar.
Women have lower levels of self-employment in Kansas compared with the U.S. and are less likely to own a business in Kansas.
United WE advocates for salary history bans and has established pay equity best practice guidelines to promote equal pay for equal work.
Covid-19 & The She-cession
A greater share of Kansas unemployment claims have been filed by women since March 14, 2020 (46.6%) than prior to the pandemic (32%).
Women in Kansas are more likely to work in sectors that were subject to layoffs due to Covid such as health care, accommodations and food services, education, and retail trade.
United WE advances and supports policies that reduce workforce development obstacles such as pay inequality, childcare barriers, limited paid family leave, entrepreneurship restrictions, and sexual harassment.
Childcare
Kansas infant care costs are 29% of female median earnings, one of the highest percentages in the U.S.
In Kansas, infant care at daycare centers is 1.3 times more expensive than in-state college tuition. Daycare costs for four-year old children compare to in-state tuition in Kansas.
United WE advocates for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave at 100% pay for all part-time and full-time workers. Thousands of additional state employees in Kansas benefit from paid parental leave, as the Judicial Branch and Board of Regents updated their paid family leave policies in September 2021.
Poverty & Social Insurance
Among people age 65 and over, women in Kansas are almost twice more likely than men to be in poverty.
Child poverty in Kansas averaged 14.9% from 2015-2019. This rate increased significantly since 2000, when it stood at 9.1%.
Poverty strikes single mother households at an alarming rate: 34% in Kansas and 35% for the U.S.
United WE supports policy reforms that remove barriers and leverage opportunities for women’s economic development, such as gender pay equity, which impacts retirement savings for women in the long-term.
Civic Engagement
Women are in the minority in state legislatures in Kansas and in the U.S. Women comprise only about 28% of state legislators in Kansas and 29% in the U.S.
Women vote in higher numbers in Kansas compared with men. In the 2020 general election, 61.4% of women versus 58.7% of men 18 and over reported casting their ballots.
United WE’s Appointments Project® facilitates the appointment of women to civic boards and commissions and addresses a critical gap in representation and leadership. The project is expanding to cities across the country including Ft. Worth, Pittsburgh and Oklahoma City.
“Factual data is the first step in telling an accurate story of the lives of Kansas women,” said Dr. Donna Ginther, Director, Center for Science Technology & Economic Policy at the Institute for Policy & Social Research at the University of Kansas. “This research validates the importance of removing barriers and advocating for policies that support women, ultimately making families and communities healthier and the economy stronger.”
The study was initially released in March 2016. A full copy of the 2021 report can be viewed here.