![]() I have fought for every worker’s right to join a labor union and collectively bargain, which has been proven to lift women’s wages, and I also signed historic legislation strengthening workplace protections and support for pregnant women and nursing mothers. I also issued Executive Orders to consider the use of salary history in pay-setting decisions for Federal workers and to promote efforts to achieve pay equity for job applicants and employees of Federal contractors. Meanwhile, I took executive action to raise the minimum wage that Federal contractors are required to pay their workers, directly benefiting tens of thousands of women. And we are working to ensure that those workers who will power our economy for years to come have access to child care, giving women more opportunities to succeed. Today, millions of American women are back at work - and a record 12 million jobs have been created since I took office, with many more to come in good-paying clean energy and semiconductor careers of the future. We provided another $24 billion in funds to stabilize child care providers, supporting working parents. But we sent billions in direct stimulus relief to families to help make ends meet. When COVID-19 forced millions of women out of the workforce, often to care for their families at home, women’s labor participation fell to its lowest level in 35 years. My Administration has been laser-focused on rooting out pay inequity and dismantling the barriers that women face in the workplace and across our economy. To right that wrong and truly level the playing field, we need to not only crack down on discrimination but also address the systemic issues behind the pay gap. ![]() And part of it is due to the fact that women are underrepresented in careers that offer good pay and benefits, while fields where they are overrepresented, like teaching and nursing, do not pay what they should, despite being critical to our communities and economy. The pay gap also stems from women’s disproportionate caregiving responsibilities for children and aging loved ones, which can force them to forgo job opportunities, reduce their work hours, or leave the workforce at times. They can be the very best at what they do but still have to fight for equal pay. In nearly every job - 90 percent of occupations, from retail to business to professional sports - women are still paid, on average, less than men. ![]() My Administration is working to change that.ĭiscrimination accounts for some of the pay gap. On Equal Pay Day, we call attention to this injustice and the pay disparities that add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income over a lifetime, undermining financial security for women and families across our Nation. Pay disparities are even more pronounced for Black women, Native American women, Latinas, many Asian American women, and women with disabilities.
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