Trenton – Senate President Pro Tempore M. Teresa Ruiz issued the following statement commemorating Equal Pay Day:

“Today, we should take a moment to reflect on how much more women, in particular women of color have to work to catch up to men’s earnings. Women working full time and year-round are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man who works full time and year-round—women of color have an even wider margin.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many existing inequities, such as the gender gap, that have hit Latinas particularly hard. With surging unemployment and some ineligibility to qualify for safety net programs, they have the worst gender pay gap of all other demographic groups.  At the current rate of progress, Latinas won’t achieve equal pay for another 432 years, according to the American Association of University Women.

“Our state which prides itself on its diversity is in last place for Latina wage equality, Latinas median earning in New Jersey is around $31,000 compared to $74,000 for white non-Latino men, according to the National Women’s Law Center.  We must do better and we can do better! Now is the time to look at issues that have been facing our communities for years and have only been compounded by the pandemic. Together we must do more to change this trajectory, elevate the discussion, and create policies and infrastructure that will facilitate equity for all.”