Facilitated by the Office of Economic Empowerment, the Wage Equality Advisory Committee was created to develop innovative best practices and strategies to address the Commonwealth’s race and gender wage gaps. The result? EqualPayMA.com.
The race and gender wage gaps are serious economic issues which impact all workers in our state. These gaps exist for many reasons. Although discrimination based on sex, race, gender-identity, sexual orientation, and ethnicity is illegal in the workplace, such discrimination continues to occur. Lack of fairness in promotions and career advancement, pursuing jobs in historically male-dominated industries, and lack of access to affordable and quality childcare all serve as barriers to closing the wage gaps in Massachusetts. According to the National Women's Law Center, below are the wage gaps for women in Massachusetts, compared to $1.00 earned by white, male workers in the state:
- Women (on average): $0.81
- Black women: $0.57
- Latina women: $0.51
- Native American women: $0.59
- Asian American and Pacific Islander women: $0.66
EqualPayMA.com seeks to empower workers and employees with knowledge on equity and fair compensation in the workplace.
