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2015 Equal Pay

Equal Pay

The gender wage gap in California contributes to its high rate of poverty and adversly affects women in nearly every field, no matter their income or educatinoal status.  In 2013, a woman in California working full time, year-round earned a median of 85 cents for every dollar a man earned.1  This gap is even greater for women of color.  For example, Latinas in California make only 44 cents for every dollar a white man makes - one of the worst Latina wage gaps in the nation.2  As a group, full-time working women in California lose over $33 billion dollars each year due to the wage gap.3

  1. National Partnership for Women and Families: California Women and the Wage Gap, 2013.
  2. National Partnership for Women and Families: Latinas and the Wage Gap, 2015.
  3. See note 1.

 

Senate Bill 358 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson

The California Fair Pay Act will strengthen the state's existing equal pay law by eliminating loopholes that prevent effective enforcement and empowering employees to discuss pay without fear of retaliation.

Download the Fact Sheet here.

 

Implementation of California Fair Pay Act with Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette

Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette joins Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, Chair of the Women's Caucus, to discuss the California Fair Pay Act.

Governor Signs Landmark Equal Pay Legislation

After Governor Jerry Brown signs SB 358, California now has one of the toughest equal pay laws in the country.

Press Conference on Equal Pay - August 2015

LWC members and advocates support SB 358 before the bill is taken up on the Assembly Floor.

Press Conference on Equal Pay - February 2015

Democratic members of the California's Legislative Women's Caucus announce plans for legislation to address the wage gap that women face at work.

 

What is the Gender-Based Wage Gap Where You Live?

Wage Gap by Congressional District*


DistrictPrecent of Men's Median PayAmount Lost Per YearDistrictPercent of Men's Median PayAmount Lost Per Year
172%$13,9022886%$7,264
280%$12,2022995%$1,595
384%$8,0083090%$5,020
478%$13,6993181%$8,754
593%$3,5013287%$5,301
696%$1,6273372%$25,077
786%$7,62034104%-$1,041
885%$6,5713584%$6,115
986%$6,4793684%$6,043
1079%$10,73237100%$141
1176%$161633885%$6,529
1281%$13,9963986%$7,815
13102%-$8664092%$2,026
1484%$9,7444179%$8,579
1573%$18,9454276%$13,108
1689%$4,0864394%$2,595
1769%$28,5484498%$525
1870%$29,9764574%$20,579
1986%$7,8074698%$598
2099%$3014787%$6,201
2183%$5,4194877%$15,293
2295%$2,1914991%$4,466
2371%$14,3985085%$6,925
2480%$9,7995186%$4,887
2580%$11,6065280%$13,343
2683%$8,8605386%$6,973
2790%$5,404   
*American Association of University Women:The Gender Pay Gap: California, 2014.