Report: MI Women Earn 74% Of Men’s Wages

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A new report says women working full time were paid 80% of what men were paid in 2015. At the current pay disparity rate, women should be making the same as men for the same job in 2059. Marilyn Watkins, policy director at the Economic Opportunity Institute, says Massachusetts this summer passed one of the strongest equal-pay laws in the country, making sure companies pay equally for comparable jobs and job requirements.

“For example, cafeteria workers and custodians might be deemed comparable jobs even though one is traditionally female and gets paid a lot less than the traditionally male custodial jobs,” Watkins said.

The report also found that African-American women make about two-thirds and Hispanic or Latina women make about half of what white men make nationwide. Watkins says it’s important to think about how policies that close the gender pay gap affect women of color as well.