It's Time for Working Women to Earn Equal Pay

Equal pay has been the law since 1963. But today, women are still paid less than men—even with similar education, skills and experience. 

The gap between men's and women's earnings widened slightly between 2007 and 2008, from 77.8 percent (generally rounded to 78 percent) to 77 percent. Economist Evelyn Murphy, president and founder of The WAGE Project, estimates the wage gap costs the average full-time U.S. woman worker between $700,000 and $2 million over the course of her work life.  

These figures are even worse for women of color. In 2008, the earnings for African American women were $31,489, some 67.9 percent of men's earnings (a drop from 68.7 percent in 2007). Latinas' earnings were $26,846, some 58 percent of men's earnings (a drop from 59 percent in 2007).

• Learn about violence against women at the workplace.
• Links of interest to working women.