Equal Pay Day

Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Dec 22, 2023 By Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Originally Published on Feb 11, 2022
Fact-checked by Sudeshna Nag
Equal Pay Day is all about raising awareness against discriminatory practices when it comes to compensatory wages in the workplace.

Where is Equal Pay Day observed?

It is celebrated by people all over the world. It has special prominence in Germany, Great Britain, and the USA.

Who is Equal Pay Day observed by?

The day is observed by working men and women alike. It usually speaks in favor of fair pay for women and advocates reduction in the gender pay gap, workplace justice, and women's wages based on equal work.

When did Equal Pay Day first start?

The founding of this day can be traced back to 1996 in the USA.

Who started Equal Pay Day?

The National Committee on Pay Equity began to observe this special day to reduce the wage gap or pay gap between men and women, and also to reduce any racial wage gap.

History And Timeline

The history behind bringing the minimum wage paid to women at par with that of men is a long and much sought-after one. Here is a list of significant events surrounding Equal Pay Day.

Equal Pay Act In The USA

John F. Kennedy signed this act for raising awareness and establishing laws regarding discrimination in women's wages in any job.

1963

Civil Rights Act

This act was established to do away with discrimination or a wage gap based on race, color, sex, origin, or religion. This was ensured by Title VII of the Act.

1964

Family and Medical Leave Act

This law ensured that parents of newborns could take leave from their job irrespective of their gender. It provides 12 weeks of leave along with job safety.

1993

Founding Of Equal Pay Day

The National Committee on Pay Equity founded the Equal Pay Day to reduce the gap between each dollar paid to men and women workers around the globe.

1996

Paycheck Fairness Act

This is based on a system of rewards and punishments. The act is proposing to encourage more discussions on salaries and makes it punishable if any organization discriminates against the workers for disclosing their salaries.

2020

Traditions And Customs

The prevailing tradition on this day is to review practices in the workplace relating to equality in the average wages offered to women. Business entities review if every dollar a man makes per hour matches that of a woman. The day selected to observe this day has been done in a way to avoid any religious holidays.

Ways To Observe Or Celebrate Equal Pay Day

It is observed by making people aware of the equality of compensation between each dollar paid to women as opposed to men. People ensure that the pay of the two genders is equal in every occupation.

You can observe it by letting everyone know about the day and posting about it on social media. You can also observe this day by advocating for equal pay and its importance in your workplace and by educating others!

Facts And Stats

  • The need for Equal Pay Day is necessary as the pay gap exists beyond the category of gender and crisscrosses with discrimination based on race and skin color. It is reported that an average woman of color earns less than the average white woman.
  • To raise awareness about the fact that European workplaces pay women about 14% less than men for the same work is what Equal Pay Day aims to do.
  • The date of Equal Pay Day is not consistent, which means that this day falls on a different date every year for different countries.

Who started Equal Pay Day?

It first began as an initiative of the National Committee on Pay Equity.

What is the importance of Equal Pay Day?

On this day, people residing all across the globe unite to raise awareness about discrepancies in wages between men and women.

Why do people observe Equal Pay Day?

People observe this day to bring about equality in wages between men and women globally to achieve gender equality.

How do people observe Equal Pay Day?

People observe the day by taking a look into the functioning and practices of their work when it comes to equality and discrimination in wages. There are efforts made to review the situation and make changes.

What is the history and origin of Equal Pay Day?

The day has a history spanning across centuries. It consists of multiple acts being signed for the cause and finally, the founding of the day itself in 1996.

When Is This Day Celebrated

  • Tuesday, March 31, 2020
  • Wednesday, March 24, 2021
  • Saturday, April 02, 2022
  • Sunday, April 02, 2023

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Written by Rajnandini Roychoudhury

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

Rajnandini Roychoudhury picture

Rajnandini RoychoudhuryBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

With a Master of Arts in English, Rajnandini has pursued her passion for the arts and has become an experienced content writer. She has worked with companies such as Writer's Zone and has had her writing skills recognized by publications such as The Telegraph. Rajnandini is also trilingual and enjoys various hobbies such as music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading classic British literature. 

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Fact-checked by Sudeshna Nag

Master of Arts specializing in History

Sudeshna Nag picture

Sudeshna NagMaster of Arts specializing in History

Having earned a Master's degree in History from the Presidency University in Kolkata, Sudeshna was able to refine these skills and broaden her knowledge base. Not only is she an accomplished fact-checker, but she is also deeply invested in gender research, societal interactions, and mental health. Her professional repertoire also includes experience in translation between Bengali and English content

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