“Each year on Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, we measure the extent of the disgraceful wage discrimination that is holding back Black women and families, as well as businesses and our economy. This year, again, the numbers are deeply disturbing: Black women working full time, year-round are paid just 69 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men who work full time, year-round. The wage gap widens to 66 cents when part-time and part-year workers are included in both categories. For Black moms, the wage gap is an even more appalling 53 cents for full time, year-round workers and 46 cents when part-time and part-year workers are included. The wage gap persists even among Black women with college and advanced degrees.

“It’s long past time we stop the discrimination and job segregation that drive the Black women’s wage gap and erase this stain on our country. Progress begins with Congress passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would modernize and strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to better combat pay discrimination and close the wage gap, including by protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay, banning the use of prior salary history, providing stronger remedies, and codifying pay data collection. This essential legislation has languished for much too long.” 

-Statement of Taylor Austin, Campaign Manager, Workplace Justice, MomsRising

“Black women continue to be underpaid, undervalued, and overrepresented in jobs that fail to provide essential protections such as paid family and medical leave, flexibility, and retirement support. Today in the United States, Black women in full-time jobs are losing nearly $900,000 over the course of a lifetime to the wage gap. That’s money our families need to buy food, pay the rent and mortgage, cover child care and health care costs, put gas in the car, save for college and retirement, and more.

“Solutions are within reach but it’s up to federal, state and local lawmakers, and business leaders to create the robust care infrastructure and just economy we all deserve. We need the Paycheck Fairness Act to become law, as well as paid family and medical leave for all working people; quality affordable child, elder and disability care; a higher minimum wage; and secure access to health care, including reproductive health and abortion care. America’s moms are done waiting. We want lawmakers to ensure that nobody is denied fair wages based on her gender, race, or status as a mom. We need solutions now.”

-Statement of Monifa Bandele, Senior Vice President, MomsRising