80 Cents on the Dollar is Not Enough
WHAT: To recognize National Equal Pay Day and to raise awareness of pay equity and wage discrimination, Business and Professional Women (BPW)/St. Petersburg-Pinellas will hold its 15th annual “Unhappy Hour” on April 10, the symbolic day that the average woman in the United States finally earns the same amount of pay that her male counterpart earned in the previous calendar year. According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in September 2017, the average woman makes just 80.5 cents for every dollar a man is paid, reflecting a gap that results in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost wages over the course of a career. Therefore, if a man was paid $50,000 to perform his job from January 1 through December 31, it will take a woman in the same position, on average, until April of the following year to earn the same amount.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Arts Xchange in St. Petersburg’s Warehouse Arts District, 515 22nd Street South.
COST: The public is invited to attend this free event. No RSVP is necessary. Light appetizers and a cash bar will be available. For more information, visit www.bpwstpetepinellas.org.
ABOUT: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, when the Equal Pay Act was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, women were earning an average of 59 cents on the dollar compared to men. While women hold roughly half of today’s jobs, and their earnings account for a significant portion of the household income that sustains the financial well-being of their families, they are still experiencing a gap in pay compared to men’s wages for similar work. For women of color, the pay gap is even greater. African American women average only 63 cents, and Hispanic women are typically paid only 54 cents for every dollar paid to male workers. At the current rate of change, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has estimated that the wage gap will not close until 2059.
About Business and Professional Women (BPW)/St. Petersburg-Pinellas
BPW/St. Petersburg-Pinellas is the local chapter of BPW/Florida, which is affiliated with the national BPW Foundation. Founded in 1919 at the national and state levels, and in 1966 at the local level, BPW crosses generations, occupations and political parties. BPW’s mission is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information. General membership meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 400 Beach Seafood and Tap House in downtown St. Petersburg. www.bpwstpetepinellas.org.
Signature activities for BPW/St. Petersburg-Pinellas in 2018 include the Unhappy Hour observing Equal Pay Day in April, the Working Women’s Fall Forum in October, and serving as host of the statewide BPW conference in June. The 2017-2018 local organization president is Liz Illgen.
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