March 12 is Equal Pay Day 2024

Each year, this symbolic day is used to raise awareness around the impact of pay inequities. Equal Pay Day 2024 is on March 12 and marks the current state of the gender pay gap: 84% for full-time workers and 78% for all workers (including part-time and seasonal).

This date is based on the latest U.S. Census figures showing that the average woman who works full time is paid on average just 84 percent of the typical man’s pay. Started by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996, the goal of Equal Pay Day is to raise awareness about the gender wage gap. Because the pay gap varies significantly among different communities, particularly for women of color, other Equal Pay Days reflect that fact that many women must work far longer into the year to catch up to men.

• Black Women’s Equal Pay Day – July 27
• Moms’ Equal Pay Day – August 15
• Latina’s Equal Pay Day – October 5
• Native Women’s Equal Pay Day – November 30

In 2022, the coalition made a change to the methodology: The Equal Pay Day Calendar now encompasses a broader cross-section of women, including those who work part time or seasonally, to represent a more accurate picture of how the gender pay gap impacts diverse communities. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many women, especially women of color, into part-time or seasonal work, or out of the workforce all together. Because of this, past methods of calculating the wage gap fell short of accurately capturing the full picture. With the new inclusive methodology, we can advocate on behalf of all women in the workforce.

Equal Pay Data

• Black women working ful- time, year-round are paid 69 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 66 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men.
• Moms working full-time, year-round are paid 74 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 62 cents for every dollar paid to dads.
• Latina women working full-time, year-round are paid 57 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 52 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men.
• Native women working full-time, year-round are paid 59 cents and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 55 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men.

Source: AAUW.org