Date
Saturday
Mar
15

March 15

Equal Pay Day

It's Equal Pay Day! Join the fight for workplace fairness and equal pay - there’s still more work to be done!

Yearly Date
March 15
Type
Day

Introduction

March 15 is Equal Pay Day, a powerful reminder of the gender pay gap and an opportunity to promote equal pay for all. This day was first launched in 1996 by the National Committee on Pay Equity as a way to raise awareness about the wage disparities between men and women. In 2021, the gender wage gap still persists across many industries, with women making only 81 cents for every dollar earned by men. Equal Pay Day is a great chance to stand up for fairness and work towards closing this gap once and for all!

Equal Pay Day Timeline

1963
Equal Pay Act
The Equal Pay Act, signed by John F. Kennedy, became law, aiming to abolish wage disparity based on sex.
1973
American Civil Liberties Union Women's Rights Project
The ACLU Women's Rights Project was established, and has played a significant role in legal battles against discrimination and for equal pay.
1996
Lilly Ledbetter case
Discovery of wage discrimination by Lilly Ledbetter at Goodyear Tire leads to a legal battle and national discussion on wage gap.
2006
First Equal Pay Day
Establishment of Equal Pay Day, symbolizing how far into the year women need to work to earn what men earned last year.
2009
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
President Barack Obama signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, affirming a right to sue for discrimination long after incident.
2019
Paycheck Fairness Act
The Paycheck Fairness Act, designed to help tackle the gender pay gap, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives.

How to Celebrate Equal Pay Day

1

Research the wage gap

Inform yourself about the gender wage gap and what it means for women. Research current legislation and the history of pay inequity in the workplace.

2

Contact your representative

Contact your representatives and let them know that you support equal pay legislation. Ask them to push for policies that will close the gender wage gap.

3

Buy from companies that promote equal pay

Shop at companies that promote and practice equal pay for their employees. You can find a list of companies that have publicly committed to closing the gender pay gap on websites like Fairygodboss and Glassdoor.

4

Share your story

Share your experience of working in an unequal workplace or your success stories of closing the gender pay gap. Sharing your story helps spread awareness and encourages others to fight for change.

5

Donate to organizations that support equal pay

Show your support by donating to organizations like the National Women’s Law Center, which is dedicated to fighting for equal pay and other issues related to women's rights.

Why Equal Pay Day is Important

A

Equal pay is a matter of fairness and justice

Whether within the same job or across an entire industry, unequal pay for equal work is not only unfair to the individuals receiving unequal compensation, but it perpetuates systemic gender biases that can have real world consequences. Equal pay day serves an important reminder that all workers should be paid fairly for their labor.

B

It helps combat economic inequality

Gender-based wage gaps contribute significantly to poverty and wealth inequality in America. Equal Pay Day shines a light on these disparities in order to drive conversations around policy initiatives and practices that can help close the gap and reduce economic inequality between men and women.

C

It helps raise awareness

Raising awareness about wage disparities is critical in order to create meaningful change. Events like Equal Pay Day offer an opportunity to draw attention to this issue so that we can further understand how much progress has been made in reducing gender-based pay gaps - and how much farther there is yet to go.

Equal Pay Day Dates

Year
Date
Day
2023
Mar 14
Tuesday
2024
Mar 14
Thursday
2025
Mar 14
Friday
2026
Mar 14
Saturday
2027
Mar 14
Sunday