State Representative Celebrates Improvements in Compensation Equity, Demands Passage of Legislation Ensuring Equal Pay for Equal Work
LANSING, Mich.— Today, in recognition of Equal Pay Day, state Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) released the following statement:
“As we recognize the earliest Equal Pay Day ever and the ongoing work in attempting to achieve pay equity in the workplace, women across our state and our nation continue to watch as their male counterparts make more than they do for the same work—effectively barring women from achieving the freedom to provide themselves with economic security. Equal Pay Day serves as a stark reminder of just how far we still must go in order to reach income parity for women in the United States.
“Women working full-time earned only 83 cents on the dollar compared to their average male counterparts—with that pay-gap only increasing for women of color and disabled women. Even women who climb the corporate ladder are not exempt. Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that concluded that women in management positions earned an average of $35,000 less than male managers. It is clear to me that the systemic barriers keeping women across this country from earning their worth as employees are in full effect, and it is incumbent on each of us as lawmakers to push for policy solutions that will address these inequalities and finally close the wage gap once and for all.
“I once again call on my colleagues here in the Michigan Legislature to take up and pass legislation that will ensure equal pay for women in the workplace, and to fully fund Governor Whitmer’s plans to provide free or low-cost childcare to mothers across our state. Closing the income gap and supporting women’s reintegration into our workforce will require a holistic set of policies designed to remove systemic barriers to entry and to upward mobility that women face within our economy. It is absolutely vital that we do everything we can to fully recognize the value that women bring to our workplaces every day.”
Equal Pay Day has been observed symbolically since 1996 and recognizes the number of additional days a woman must work to make up for what her male counterparts made in the last year. While March 15, 2022 recognizes the number of days a white woman must work, Asian American and Pacific Islander women, Black women, Indigenous women, and Latina women must work through to May 3rd, September 21st, November 30th, and December 8th respectively to achieve pay parity to their white male colleagues.
Rep. Mari Manoogian represents the communities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and the eastern portion of West Bloomfield Township. In addition to serving as Deputy Whip for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus, she is also the Minority Vice Chair of the House Committee on Energy and is a member of the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism.
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