North Wake News

Governor Josh Stein has declared March 25 as North Carolina Equal Pay Day to bring attention to the ongoing gender pay disparities. This initiative aims to encourage sectors such as government, business, and nonprofits to work towards closing the wage gap for women.

Equal Pay Day signifies the date in the year that women must work to earn what their male counterparts made in the previous year. In North Carolina and across the United States, a significant wage gap persists, with women of color facing even larger disparities compared to men performing similar work.

"Closing the gender pay gap would make our families, our economy, and our state more prosperous," stated Governor Josh Stein. "I am committed to making sure that every North Carolinian has an equal opportunity for success in our state."

Gabriel J. Esparza, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Administration, added, "Eliminating pay inequities would strengthen our economy and improve quality of life for North Carolina’s women, children, and families." He emphasized that more than half of the state's population are women and many are primary breadwinners. "We must continue to find and develop creative ways to ensure that North Carolinians receive equal pay for equal work."

A report titled "The State of Working Women: The 2023 State of Working North Carolina" indicates that in 2022, women working full-time earned $2.04 less per hour than men on average. The disparity is wider among women of color; Latina women earned $7.23 less while Black women earned $3.45 less per hour than men across all races.

Since 2019, state government agencies have stopped using salary history in hiring processes as a measure against perpetuating lower pay for women doing similar jobs as men.

In conjunction with Women's History Month celebrations this week at the Executive Mansion themed "Women in Leadership," Governor Stein signed a proclamation recognizing March as Women's History Month.

Efforts like the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program by NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement aim to attract more girls into STEM careers within state government through practical experience each summer. Since its inception, fifty-seven girls have completed this program.

Additionally, career awareness initiatives like Students@Work expose middle school students to potential career paths they might not otherwise consider. Last month marked fifteen years since Governor Stein commemorated Students@Work's role in offering career opportunities in fields like biotechnology and construction—industries known for having low female representation.

The governor emphasizes that expanding programs like these could help address pay inequities by encouraging young people, particularly young women, toward high-growth and high-earning professions.