Economic Security, Mobility and Equity (ESME)
Whether paid or unpaid, women’s work is crucial for their families’ economic security and well-being. Greater gender equality in paid and unpaid work will reduce poverty and improve economic growth and prosperity; persistent inequity in employment and family work is costing all of us. Women are held back by the undervaluation of historically female work, workplaces designed as if workers had no family responsibilities, and a broken-down work-family infrastructure.
IWPR’s ESME program highlights the extent of pay inequalities, and the role played by stark occupational segregation in perpetuating unequal pay. We conduct research and analysis on women’s labor force participation and employment trends; workforce development, non-traditional employment, and apprenticeships; the impact of sex discrimination and harassment on women’s career advancement and mobility; the gender pay gap and pay inequity across race and ethnicity; work-family policies and employer practices; the and the impact of automation and technological advances on women workers.
We work with policymakers, employers, advocates, and practitioners to identify promising practices and policy solutions.
The Longest Time to Equal Pay: Latinas and the Wage Gap
Latina women are paid less than White men in all states with sufficient sample sizes. They will not see equal pay until 2206.
The Gender Pay Gap, 1985 to 2020—with Forecast for Achieving Pay Equity, by Race and Ethnicity
If progress continue at the same rate as it has since 1985, it will take until 2059 to reach full pay equity between all women and men workers.
Lost Jobs, Stalled Progress: The Impact of the “She-Cession” on Equal Pay
In year one of COVID-19, the gender wage gap narrowed slightly only for full-time, year-round workers, with women in low-paying jobs bearing the brunt of the crisis. For all workers, the gender gap widened slightly.
The Gender Pay Gap, 1960 to 2020—with Forecast for Achieving Pay Equity
If progress continues at the same rate as it has since 1960, it will still take another 39 years, until 2059, to reach full equity between women and men among full-time, year-round workers.
A Decade with No Improvement: Native Women and the Wage Gap
Native American and Alaska Native women are paid less than White men in all states with sufficient sample sizes—with little progress towards equity over the last decade.
Stronger Together: Union Membership Boosts Women’s Earnings and Economic Security
In every state, unionized women out earn women in non-union jobs—an essential wage advantage that would increase women’s economic security following the pandemic-induced “she-cession.” This brief shares insights on the ways unions narrow gender wage gaps and improve economic security for all women.
