Economic Security, Mobility and Equity (ESME)Administrator2023-09-30T21:30:05-05:00

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.

Gender Wage Gap Sept 2024
National Gender Wage Gap Widens in 2023 for the First Time in 20 Years, With Women Making 82.7 Cents on the Dollar Compared to Men, Down from 84 Cents in 2022

“The worsening gender wage gap is a national disgrace," says IWPR President and CEO Dr. Jamila K. Taylor.

Moms EPD 2024
Moms Equal Pay Day - August 7, 2024
State by State, Mothers Are Still Paid Much Less than Fathers

Moms' Equal Pay Day 2024 shows that mothers across the country are still earning less than fathers. Nationally, in 2022, employed mothers were paid just 62.5 cents per dollar paid to fathers.

EPD 2024 Wage Gap Fact Sheet
On Equal Pay Day 2024, New IWPR Report Reveals that Women Earn Less than Men in All Occupations, Even Ones Commonly Held by Women

Women are paid eighty-four (84) cents for every dollar a man makes, a persistent gender wage gap that spans all professions, even those typically held by women, according to a new report released by IWPR

Apprenticeship Report Mar 2024
As Apprenticeships Expand, Breaking Down Barriers to Women’s Economic Success

The apprenticeship route can offer an alternative to traditional college (and college debt), yet traditionally, women have been much less likely to be apprentices than men. Check out IWPR’s latest report analyzing whether the commitments to greater gender and racial equity in apprenticeship pathways are being realized and whether women and men are equally likely to achieve jobs with family-sustaining wages following apprenticeships.

previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

Tackling Childcare:The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare

Almost one in 10 of the world’s population, 679 million, are children younger than five years old. To thrive and develop, these children and their older siblings need care.

Access to Paid Sick Time in Austin, Texas

This briefing paper presents estimates of access to paid sick time in Austin by sex, race and ethnicity, sector of employment, occupation, part/full-time employment status, and earnings levels through analyses of government data sources, including the 2013–2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS).

By Jessica Milli|August 29, 2017|

Paid Family Leave—Vital Benefits at an Affordable Cost

Paid family and medical leave programs benefit workers, families, employers, and society—but at what cost? IWPR and IMPAQ International recently evaluated existing paid leave programs in three states, as well as the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMILY) Act as it has been introduced in both houses of Congress. Using data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Census Bureau, the study determined that family leave could be offered nationwide at modest cost.

By IWPR|May 12, 2017|