It’s 2024, and women in the “Equality” state are earning just .70 for every dollar a man earns; a gap that creates obstacles to self-sufficiency for women and families. There’s clearly more work that needs to be done to ensure Wyomingites are paid their worth.
To bring attention to Wyoming’s wage gap, we’ve partnered with the Wyoming Council for Women (WCW) and the Equality State Policy Center (ESPC), and with support from the Governor’s Office, will proclaim April 2024 as Equal Pay Month in Wyoming.
A formal signing will occur in the Governor’s Ceremonial Conference Room on April 11th at 3 pm in Cheyenne.
The public is invited to join the Equal Pay Month proclamation signing at 3 pm on April 11 in the Governor’s Ceremonial Conference Room in the Wyoming State Capitol Buildng at 200 W. 24th Street in Cheyenne. For questions regarding visiting the capitol, contact (307) 777-7220 or capitolsquare@wyo.gov.
Wyoming Equal Pay Day is April 19, but can shift each year based on average earnings. The date reflects the additional number of days women in Wyoming would need to work this year to earn the same amount that men in Wyoming earned last year.
WCW board chair, Natalia Macker believes acknowledging the gap is important. “Women across Wyoming continue to face economic barriers, to the detriment of our families, communities, and economy at large,” she says. “The WCW is pleased to once again partner with the Wyoming Women’s Foundation to shine a light on these challenges and equip decision-makers with credible data needed to help advance opportunities for Wyoming women.”
WYWF calculates Wyoming Equal Pay Day using American Community Survey five-year average earnings data. It reviews the data annually and, last year, with the expertise of the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming, produced a report titled, The Wage Gap in Wyoming in 2022: How Gender, Race, and Ethnicity Affect Pay Equity Wyoming. Most recent five-year data shows men earned $64,083 for year-round, full-time work compared to women earning $44,903.
Referencing the report, Marissa Carpio, policy director of ESPC notes that the organization feels fortunate to have supported the Wage Gap Report at the Wyoming Women’s Foundation. “A year since its release we still gather in support of closing that gap, especially for women of color,” Carpio says. “Unfortunately, we do not live up to our state moniker of the Equality State when it comes to pay between men and women– our communities, our economy, our women, our families, would benefit from pay equity.”
Rebekah Hazelton, director of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, says that the state consistently ranks last or near last in wage gap analyses, even when adjusted for cost of living and regional prices. “The gap is not only hurtful to Wyoming women, especially women of color, but it also results in an estimated loss of $1.5 billion annually to the Wyoming economy,” she says.
The wage gap reflects the barriers women face in accessing well-paying jobs and meeting caregiving responsibilities. These barriers include a lack of available childcare, paid family and medical leave, and fair and predictable scheduling, which often prevent women from joining and staying in the workforce. It also reflects a need for more transparency when it comes to wages.
In Colorado, for example, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act requires an employer to announce to all employees, employment advancement opportunities and job openings, and the pay range for the openings. The Women’s Foundation of Colorado reports that, since the act was implemented in 2021 pay for women working full-time in Colorado has increased from 78 cents to 85 cents for every dollar paid to similarly qualified men.
Women’s lower earnings also lead more women to work multiple jobs. The 2022 Wyoming Labor Force Trends publication released by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research and Planning unit revealed that of those who held multiple jobs 60.7% were women and 39.3% men.
“Wyoming’s economy could grow by leaps and bounds by addressing the wage gap,” shares Hazelton. “For example, the report shows the average working woman in Wyoming loses enough in earnings a year to buy 108 more weeks of food. Those losses should be gains for Wyoming’s working women and our economy.”
WYWF, WCW, and ESPC are committed to continuing the conversation around wage equality and invite the public to join an open discussion focused on strategies we can all take to close the gender wage gap. WYWF Community Conversation: Gender Wage Gap will take place on April 17 from 12 pm – 1 pm via Zoom. Register Now
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About the Wyoming Council for Women
The Wyoming Council for Women’s Issues is a 14-member council with representation from each of the nine Judicial Districts, four at large members, and a liaison from the Department of Workforce Services. The Governor appoints Council members through the Boards and Council application process.
Learn more: wyomingwomenscouncil.org; on Facebook @WyoWomensCouncil.
About the Equality State Policy Center
The Equality State Policy Center’s mission is to improve the lives of all of Wyoming’s people through transparent government, fair elections, and thriving communities.Learn more: equalitystate.org; on Facebook @EqualityState; on Instagram @equalitystate.