SR0158 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0158 LRB104 12651 LAW 23380 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The future of our nation's productivity and competitiveness in the global marketplace depends on the success of all men and women; and

WHEREAS, Women have been discriminated against in education, the workplace, and society as a whole; and

WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day, started by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996, was created with the goal of raising awareness about the gender wage gap; this symbolic day further highlights and combats the impact of pay inequities through U.S. Census data, which has revealed that women working full-time and year-round are paid 83% of what men are paid, and all workers, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 75% of what men are paid; and

WHEREAS, In 2022, changes were made to the methodology, and The Equal Pay Day Calendar now encompasses a broader cross-section of women, including those who work part-time or seasonally, to represent a more accurate picture of how the gender pay gap impacts diverse communities; the COVID-19 pandemic pushed many women, especially women of color, into part-time or seasonal work or out of the workforce all together; because of this, past methods of calculating the wage gap fell short of accurately capturing the full picture; with the new inclusive methodology, we can advocate on behalf of all women in the workforce; and

WHEREAS, Because the pay gap varies significantly among different communities, other Equal Pay Days have been added to the calendar over the years to reflect the fact that many women must work far longer into the year to catch up to men; and

WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day, which represents all women, is to be celebrated on March 25 this year; and

WHEREAS, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Women's Equal Pay Day is April 7 this year; AANHPI women working full-time and year-round are paid 94 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 83 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, Moms' Equal Pay Day is May 6 this year; mothers working full-time and year-round are paid 71 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 63 cents for every dollar paid to fathers; and

WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day is June 17 this year; this day raises awareness about the wage gap experienced by the LGBTQIA+ community; and

WHEREAS, Black Women's Equal Pay Day is July 10 this year; Black women working full-time and year-round are paid 66 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 64 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Women's Equal Pay Day is August 28 this year; NHPI women working full-time and year-round are paid 65 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 61 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, Latina Equal Pay Day is October 8 this year; Latinas working full-time and year-round are paid 58 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 51 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, Disabled Women's Equal Pay Day is October 23 this year; disabled women working full-time and year-round are paid 72 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 50 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, Native Women's Equal Pay Day is November 18 this year; Native women working full-time and year-round are paid 58 cents, and all earners, including part-time and seasonal, are paid 52 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

WHEREAS, The pay gap has been shown to start as soon as one year after college, and this inequality affects not only women but also their families and society as a whole; and

WHEREAS, The pay gap between women and men has long-term effects on women's economic security, and such a gap affects women's Social Security earnings, their ability to save for retirement, and their children's education; and

WHEREAS, Pay equity is closely linked to the eradication of poverty and is essential to having a highly-motivated workforce; and

WHEREAS, Equal pay is a priority for all women and for our society at large; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 25, 2025 as Equal Pay Day in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of this State to learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to learn about these various dates that bring attention to the pay gap that specific groups experience.