Did you know that women workers in Michigan earn, on average, only 74 cents for each dollar that their male counterparts earn? In fact, the gender wage gap in Michigan is larger than the national average wage gap, which stands at 82 cents for women for each dollar earned by male workers.
The research used to identify the state’s gender wage gap involved men and women who worked full time on a year-round basis. Clearly, Michigan still has a long way to go in eliminating workplace discrimination concerning the wages women earn compared with their male counterparts. Other facts about the pay discrepancy between male and female Michigan workers include:
- Michigan’s gender-based wage gap is the ninth largest in the nation.
- Twice as many male workers than female workers earn six-figure incomes.
- The wage gap exists in Michigan across all educational levels from workers with no high school diploma to workers with graduate degrees.
- The gender wage gap gets larger as workers move into middle age.
- Men and women receive contrasting pay across different industries even after adjusting for experience and education.
- The wage gaps varies according to race with Asian women earning the least at only 79.2 percent of what male workers earn.
Women workers who need their jobs often feel they have no alternative other than to accept whatever pay they are offered. These women worry that speaking out against this form of workplace discrimination will land women in the unemployment office. While caution is a necessary concern, female workers in the state might find a solution to their wage problems within the legal system. Talk to a lawyer for more information.
Source: MLive.com, “10 facts on Michigan’s gender wage gap,” accessed Sep. 28, 2017