Moms’ Equal Pay Day 2023: Moms deserve more (literally and figuratively)

5 Ways to Support Pay Equity for Moms

August 15, 2023, is Moms’ Equal Pay Day, and there are plenty of activities for you to help move the needle toward economic security for working mothers. But first, the facts:

The “motherhood penalty” is a well-documented phenomenon showing that moms earn significantly lower lifetime earnings due to sexist assumptions about their capabilities as employees. Paid only 62 cents on the dollar on average compared to fathers, there’s much to address when it comes to making workplaces equal for moms. 

Help us advocate for working mothers and facilitate a nationwide conversation about the importance of closing the wage gap by doing one (or all!) of the following:

1.  Post on Social Media

The annual Moms’ Equal Pay Day social media storm begins Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. PST / 2 p.m. EST. Help us make the hashtag #MomsEqualPayDay go viral to raise awareness nationwide! Use our social media toolkit to engage in a robust online dialogue with advocates and moms across the nation.

2.  Take Action on federal legislation for mom

1. 1. The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would modernize and strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to better combat pay discrimination and close the wage gap, including by protecting workers from retaliation for discussing pay, banning the use of prior salary history, and codifying pay data collection. Click here to email lawmakers!
   2. The Healthy Families Act, which would set a national standard for paid sick and safe days to allow workers in businesses with 15 or more employees to earn up to seven job-protected paid sick and safe days each year. Click here to email lawmakers!
   3. The FAMILY Act, which would provide workers with up to 12 weeks of partial income when they take time off work for their own serious health condition; the serious health condition of a family member; the birth or adoption of a child; to address the effects of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and for certain reasons related to military deployment. Click here to email lawmakers! 
   4. If you live in California… Say NO to assumptions, YES to fairness!
      Family caregivers deserve respect, not discrimination. AB 524 (Asm. Buffy Wicks) is paving the way for a fairer, more inclusive work environment by prohibiting discrimination against family caregivers.  In other words, it would prohibit employers from treating a worker negatively based on assumptions or stereotypes associated with their family caregiving. Voice your support for AB 524 by clicking here.

3.  Watch our Instagram Live conversation

What happens when two strong leaders (who happen to be moms) talk about Moms’ Equal Pay Day? Find out on Equal Pay Today’s Instagram Live Aug. 15 at 11:30 a.m. PST / 2:30 p.m. EST with Noreen Farrell (ERA Executive Director and Equal Pay Today co-founder) and Xochitl Oseguera (Vice President of MomsRising and MamasConPoder)

Tune in

4.  Learn the Facts on Zoom

Working mothers face a variety of challenges to economic security. Between the “motherhood penalty,” a lack of paid leave, and persistent gender and race wage gaps, mothers face additional challenges to economic empowerment. Join AAUW, MomsRising, and Equal Pay Today for an online conversation about these issues and policies that can help provide support for the working mothers of America.

Register

5.  Support the Equal Pay Today campaign

Donate to support the work of Equal Rights Advocates’ national coalition project, Equal Pay Today, in our fight to close gender and racial wage gaps. Every gift helps make a difference. Honor the working women in your life by donating to Equal Pay Today!

Donate