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Statement

On Moms’ Equal Pay Day, We Demand an End to Wage Discrimination and an Economy that Works for All of Us

September 8, 2022
Workplace Justice, Paid Family & Medical Leave, Equal Pay, Maternal Health, Early Care & Education

Lisa Lederer, 202/371-1996

Statement of leaders of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on Moms' Equal Pay Day 2022, the day that marks how far moms in the United States must work into 2022 to catch up to what dads were typically paid in 2021. This year, Moms’ Equal Pay Day comes later in the year because the data reflect both part-time and full-time workers.

“Today serves as a shameful reminder that year after year, being a mom remains an even greater predictor of wage discrimination in the United States than being a woman. And year after year, moms of color experience the widest, most damaging wage gaps due to structural racism. For every dollar paid to White dads in our country, moms are paid just 58 cents – and Latina moms are paid just 48 cents, Native American moms just 50 cents, and Black moms just 52 cents. (The wage gap calculation this year includes wages for part- as well as full-time moms and dads.) That’s unconscionable and forces many families into poverty. 

“It is wrong that moms must work eight months into 2022 to be paid what white dads were paid in 2021 alone. That is especially appalling at this time when millions of moms have been denied access to abortion, losing our ability to decide whether, when, and how many children to have, which has immense economic as well as health consequences for moms and families. 

“The wage discrimination moms face is sexist, racist, and extremely punitive. It is a reflection of a society that stigmatizes and punishes caregiving. When moms are shortchanged on their paychecks, the harm damages families, communities and our economy. This is a devastating systemic problem and an abject policy failure. We must close the wage gap for moms and for all women.”

-Statement of Ruth Martin, Senior Vice President and Chief Workplace Justice Officer, MomsRising

 “Unless Congress takes action to address the root causes of pay discrimination, these appalling wage gaps will continue. It is long past time for progress. 

“The U.S. Senate must join the U.S. House in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would close loopholes in the nearly 60-year-old Equal Pay Act, as well as the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, so no pregnant worker has to choose between her health and her job. We need paid family and medical leave for all working people, quality home- and community-based services and child care that is affordable for all families, and living wages for all care workers. 

“Simply put, we must build an economy that works for working moms, and that includes raising the minimum wage and creating a pathway to citizenship for all care workers, many of whom are immigrants, and restoring access to abortion. The majority of states with abortion bans have gender wage gaps above the national average, making it especially urgent that state lawmakers, too, take action to stop wage discrimination against women and moms.

“America’s moms are fired up and fighting for progress. We will continue to use our voices and our votes to demand fair pay and an end to structural racism and sexism. It’s long overdue.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO, MomsRising

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.