Southwest Women’s Law Center Releases
New Analysis of the Earnings Gap in New Mexico
In observance of Equal Pay Day, April 22, 2008, the Southwest Women’s Law Center released a report analyzing the earnings gap in New Mexico. The Center joined Lt. Governor Diane Denish, the Commission on the Status of Women and others at a press conference to release the findings. Click here for a copy of the report.
There are multiple causes for the wage gap in New Mexico and throughout the United States, but gender discrimination remains one of the causes that is too often overlooked and denied. The Center is calling upon private employers and state leaders to address the issue of pay equity. The private sector can do much voluntarily to identify and eliminate wage disparities in the workforce, but state laws and policies are also necessary.
Moreover, the combination of higher poverty rates for women throughout the State and the wage gap severely limit opportunities for women and their families. To address these disparities and enable women to earn enough money to support their families, we need:
- Adoption and stronger enforcement of equal pay and
anti-discrimination laws
- Paid sick leave
- Job security and time off work for victims of domestic
violence
- A living wage for all workers
- Affordable health care and child care
Check back soon for the Center’s Analysis: “Closing the Earnings Gap: Creating Economic Opportunities for Women Throughout New Mexico”
Special thanks to Sara Beth Koplik who prepared the data analyses for the Earnings Gap Report and to Sireesha Manne who prepared “Closing the Earnings Gap” for the Center.