Women Earn Less Than Men. These Laws Could Help if They Pass

Women have made incredible strides toward greater equality in our society, but one place where we continue to lag behind is pay equality. Pew Research reported that last year, women still earned an average of $0.82 for every $1 earned by men -- not much of a change from 2002, when that figure was $0.80 per $1.

Unfortunately, it's often the nature of women's lives and employment experience that feeds the disparity, as it's most often women who are expected to give up their careers (or put them on hold) to raise children and care for other family members. All of this results in women having less money saved for retirement and smaller checking account balances.

Some state legislatures are stepping up to the plate, however. Let's take a look at where new pay transparency laws are in the works, as well as a few steps you can take to ensure you're paid what you're worth.

Pay transparency laws

Pay transparency is a crucial way to fight pay inequality, because when employers provide salary information to staff and job applicants, women can proceed from a place of knowing how much a particular position pays. I'm sure I'm not alone in applying for a job without a clue how much it pays, only to be disappointed when it turns out to be far less than I'd hoped.

Per the National Women's Law Center (NWLC), eight states have already passed pay transparency laws, impacting 21 million women workers in these states. Those states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Washington.

Another 16 states (and Washington, D.C.) are considering pay transparency bills in their 2023 legislative sessions: Alaska, DC, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Almost 18.5 million of the workers in these states are women and stand to be positively impacted by pay transparency laws taking effect.

Luckily, we don't have to wait for laws to be passed, as there are a few other things you can do today to help reduce pay inequality between men and women.

Other ways to even the playing field

If you want to help make pay more equitable between all workers doing the same job, try the following.

Talk about pay

Contrary to what your employer may have told you, you likely are allowed to discuss salaries with your colleagues, per the National Labor Relations Act. The National Labor Relations Board's jurisdiction is detailed here. Talking about pay at work can give you the opportunity to find out that your colleague who was hired after you, has less education than you, and has the exact same job makes more than you. This can give you a position to negotiate with your manager for a raise -- or potentially contact an employment lawyer if you think you have a broader discrimination case.

Research salary data before applying/interviewing for jobs

The internet is wonderful for all sorts of things, but when it comes to negotiating a job offer, it can be your best friend. Look up salary ranges for the role you're pursuing, and don't forget to check out both national averages as well as those for your local area. The more information you have when you start talking to an employer about a job offer, the more likely you'll be to score an offer you're happy with -- or cheerfully turn down an offer that's beneath you and your skills.

Improve your own money knowledge

If you've never taken a deep dive into your own finances, there's no time like the present. Might I recommend the many and varied personal finance resources here at The Ascent? Getting a better handle on budgeting, saving for retirement, and even learning how mortgage loans work will improve your overall confidence, and trust me, you definitely want to be the kind of person who can't be pushed around when it comes to finances.

If you want something done right, often, you ask a woman. Keep voting for politicians who advocate for pay equality and transparency, and take the above steps to ensure you're advocating for yourself and your salary.