According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the average monthly earnings for a woman in Caddo Parish was $2,307, while men made $3,675 per month.
In Bossier Parish, the average monthly earnings for a woman was $2,113. It was $3,351 for men.
While earnings for men and women have increased since the first quarter of 2000, the pay gap has basically stayed the same.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission has worked for years to close that gap with outreach programs and events like the one Tuesday in Shreveport at the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce.
Several panelists discussed the issues surrounding the gender pay gap.
Debbie Buchanan Engle, a women's advocate from Shreveport, said the socialization of boys and girls has played a big factor in how men and women are treated in the workplace.
"Boys are encouraged to be competitive, while girls are encouraged to be cooperative," she said. "The media's portrayal of women as objects also plays a factor, but women need to take 50 percent of the responsibility for how they are portrayed."
Beverly Lyle, regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor in Dallas, said cultural norms also play a role in the pay gap.
"A lot of communities support the male in a dominant role and the female in a subservient role," she said. "Many believe a woman's place is as a care provider."
All the panelists agreed that education was a key factor in closing the gender gap.
Aida Collins, director of regional operations for the Southwest and Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, said getting the message out in the public arena about fair pay and collaboration with other agencies is vital.
Additionally, company can make a big difference by simply changing their hiring practices, Collins said. She said one company her office investigated recently found that when they took the face-to-face interview out of the equation and hired based solely on the qualifications required for the job, the company achieved better results.
No comments:
Post a Comment