Latina Equal Pay Day: Bridging the Wage Gap Where Women Earn 51 Cents on the Dollar

Jackie Ortiz, co-founder of the Pay Equity Coalition of Rochester, NY, on Latina Equal Pay Day (Oct. 21, 2021)Photo byRochester Democrat And Chronicle

Today, October 3rd, marks Latina Equal Pay Day, an annual observance highlighting the widening wage gap for Latina workers. Compared to white, non-Hispanic men, Latinas are earning just 51 cents on the dollar for all earners. This means, on average, Latina workers across all industries and sectors are losing more than 1.2 million dollars throughout a 40-year career due to the wage gap. And for the first time in twenty years, that gap has widened. 

Women in the U.S. who work full-time, year-round, are typically paid only 84 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and women's wages. The date it falls upon symbolizes how far into the year the average median woman must work (in addition to their earnings last year) to have earned what the average median man had earned the previous year. For Latinas, that date fluctuated between November and October. Despite being one of the fastest-growing demographics and wielding significant economic and political influence, Latinas continue to earn significantly less, highlighting a persistent economic disparity in the country.

Latina women who are part of a union tend to receive higher average pay and are more likely to have access to retirement benefits.Photo byINTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE WORKERS

The Equal Pay Act, established in 1963, is a U.S. labor law amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to abolish wage disparity based on sex. However, according to the latest Census data from 2023, Latinas earn, on average, only 51 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men. This figure accounts for all industries' part-time, full-time, and seasonal workers. The gap for full-time, year-round workers improves slightly to 58 cents on the dollar.

The wage gap that Latina workers face is a complex issue, with several factors, from occupational segregation (Latinas are disproportionately concentrated in low-wage jobs), discrimination in hiring and promotions, and access to opportunities such as education and professional development.

Paycheck Fairness Act on Equal Pay Day, April 2019. The legislation has been introduced numerous times and has yet to be passed.Photo byGetty/Mandel Ngan

Each year on Latina Equal Pay Day, numerous organizations, celebrities, policymakers, politicians, and workers come together nationwide for a day of advocacy. This year, they are pushing for several legislative actions. The Paycheck Fairness Act would modernize and strengthen the original Equal Pay Act of 1963, combating pay discrimination, protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay, and codifying pay data collection. The other, the BE HEARD Act (Bringing an End to Harassment by Enhancing Accountability and Rejecting Discrimination), seeks to extend federal protections against harassment and discrimination for all working people, eliminate forced arbitration and the subminimum wage for tipped employees. There is also a massive social media campaign associated with this day of action, and the use of #LatinaEqualPay can be found across social platforms.