October 3, 2024: Latina Equal Pay Day

WHEREAS, Latinas, on average, must work more than 10 months into this year to make the same amount as their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts were paid last year; and

WHEREAS, more than 50 years after the passage of the federal Equal Pay Act, women in Michigan continue to suffer the consequences of unequal pay; and,

WHEREAS, according to The Wage Gap by State for Latinas a March 2024, fact sheet from the National Women's Law Center, the gender pay gap exists at all levels of work in almost every occupation, cutting across all education levels, age groups, and demographics, and widening significantly for women of color and women with disabilities; and,

WHEREAS, as a whole, 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; and,

WHEREAS, nationally, for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts, Latinas working full-time, year-round typically make only 60 cents; and,

WHEREAS, this wage gap typically means an annual median loss of $30,450 for Latinas and a staggering loss of more than $1 million over the course of a lifetime; and,

WHEREAS, these lost wages mean that Latinas and their families have less money to support themselves and their families, save and invest for the future, and spend on goods and services, with families, businesses, and the economy suffering as a result; and,

WHEREAS, the public and private sectors can implement fair pay equity policies without undue costs of hardship; and,

WHEREAS, fair pay strengthens the security of families today and eases future retirement costs while enhancing the American economy; and,

WHEREAS, Thursday, October 3, 2024, marks the day into the year it takes for Latinas on average to earn what all US men did the previous year;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim October 3, 2024, as Latina Equal Pay Day in Michigan.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.