On average, women take home 80 cents to every dollar male workers earn, but the pay gap is far worse for many women of color. This compounds over the course of a career, hampering women’s ability to pay off student debt or save for retirement, and can equate to millions of dollars in lost wages. Some states are moving to close these gender and racial pay gaps. Over the last few years over a dozen states have passed pay equity laws, and cities and executives have also taken action. At the same time, a handful of other states are moving in the opposite direction by banning certain kinds of legislation that would help to close discriminatory pay gaps. What does this mean for job seekers? And how can we leverage these changes to be sure we’re maximizing our earning potential?
Kate Nielson, State Policy Counsel for the American Association of University Women, will unpack these changes and highlight laws and regulations every job seeker should know. We will also take a look at “Work Smart,” AAUW’s new online salary negotiation training to brush up on your negotiation skills, something we can all work on, whether we are in a senior position or just starting out in our career.
Speaker Bio
Kate Nielson manages AAUW’s work on state and local policy. She analyzes legislation, tracks developments and trends in state policy, prepares testimony, and drafts model legislative language. As a part of her advocacy work, she establishes relationships with key state policy makers and coalition partners and develops strategies to advance AAUW’s legislative priorities.
Resources
· American Association of University Women
· Work Smart: Salary Negotiations
· Research report, “The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap”
