On Women’s Equality Day, Six Policies That Could Help Make Women Economically Equal

[Tx4obama]

On Women’s Equality Day, Six Policies That Could Help Make Women Economically Equal

Monday marked Women’s Equality Day, 93 years to the day since the ratification of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote. Women have made huge strides since then: they now make up about half of the workforce, hold half of middle management jobs, and are graduating college at rapid rates.

But much work remains to be done if women are to be truly made economically equal with their male colleagues. Women are still paid less than men no matter how much education they earn, what job they take, or how high they rise. Society still expects them to be the default caretakers, so many are forced to choose between work and their families. If the United States is committed to bringing them real equality, here are six policies that would take us a long way toward that goal:

1. End salary secrecy. Women will have a tough time addressing pay discrimination if they aren’t allowed to find out what their coworkers make. About half of all workers are either barred or discouraged from sharing that information. The Paycheck Fairness Act would end this practice and take a step toward helping women close the gap.

2. Raise the minimum wage. Women account for two-thirds of the country’s minimum wage workers, including two-thirds of those making the paltry tipped wage of $2.13 an hour. Making the federal floor of $7.25 an hour brings in just $14,500 a year for a woman who works full-time. Lifting the standards of the jobs so many women already hold would put more money in their pockets and help close the gender wage gap.

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Rest of list in full article here: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/08/26/2528721/womens-equality-day-policies-help-make-women-economically-equal/

[niyad]

1. kick for this excellent article