WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden argued on Wednesday that the gender pay gap has hurt the economy, bringing members of the United States women’s soccer team to the White House to help set new equality goals.
Wednesday marked “Equal Pay Day” – which is how far women should work on average in the year to make up for the pay gap between what men and women earned in the previous year. The Census Bureau estimates that a woman working full-time would earn about 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man.
Biden and his wife, Jill, organized a round table with Margaret Purce and Megan Rapinoe, from the United States women’s soccer team, and other team members who attended virtually. The president then signed a proclamation honoring the day.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re an electrician, an accountant or part of the best football team in the world,” said Biden. “The wage gap is real. And this team is living proof that you can be the best at what you do and still have to fight for equal pay. “
The women’s team won the World Cup four times, the most recent in 2019. But, that same year, it sued the American Football Federation for wage discrimination. The lawsuit was closed in May because women had accepted a base pay structure different from that of the male soccer team. The women’s team plans to appeal the resignation.
“Despite these victories. I was devalued, disrespected and fired because I am a woman, ”Rapinoe told the president on Wednesday. “And I was told that I don’t deserve more than less, because I’m a woman.”
The wage gap affects the entire economy in ways that exacerbate other problems, including racial inequality. National Center for Women’s Law found that black women earn only 63 cents for a dollar paid to a non-Hispanic white man, while Hispanic women earn only 55 cents. This difference translates into a loss of approximately $ 1 million in revenue over a lifetime.
“It’s not just about women’s issues,” said Cecilia Rouse, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, at a news conference on Wednesday. “They affect all families, our economy’s resilience and our nation’s competitiveness.”
The Biden government is promoting a number of policies to help bridge the gap. He supports the Paycheck Fairness Protection Act, which would enforce a 1963 law by improving employer’s transparency on wages, requires employers to show that any discrepancies are due to job qualifications and prevents employers from retaliating against workers who express concerns on wage disparities.
The administration also supports paid family leave and increased access to childcare. A February research article from the Federal Reserve of San Francisco found that the pandemic caused mothers to disproportionately leave the job market, as many lacked classroom schools and daycare options. The newspaper noted that flexible working hours would likely make life easier for working mothers.