March 26, 2026
WHEREAS, more than 50 years after the passage of the federal Equal Pay Act, women in Michigan continue to suffer the consequences of unequal pay; and,
WHEREAS, according to a September 2025 fact sheet from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the gender pay gap exists at all levels of work in almost every occupation, cutting across all education levels, age groups, and demographics, and widening significantly for women of color and women with disabilities; and,
WHEREAS, as a whole, women in the U.S. who work full-time, year-round are typically paid only 80.9 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts; and,
WHEREAS, nationally, for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts, Asian women are paid only 96 cents, Black women are paid only 64.6 cents, Native American women are paid only 52.7 cents, and Latinas are paid only 58 cents; and,
WHEREAS, this wage gap typically means an annual loss of $3,240 for Asian women, $28,340 for Black women, $26,000 for Native American women, and $33,620 for Latinas; and,
WHEREAS, mothers who work full-time, year-round are typically paid only 61.8 cents for every dollar paid to fathers, with an annual loss of about $19,000 compared to fathers; and,
WHEREAS, based on today’s wage gap, a woman who works full-time, year-round could lose $542,800 over a 40-year career, a lifetime gap that only grows when examined by race and ethnicity; and,
WHEREAS, a lifetime of lower pay means older women face an overall wealth gap, with less income to save for retirement and less income counted in a Social Security or pension benefit formula; and,
WHEREAS, the public and private sectors can implement fair pay equity policies without undue costs of hardship; and,
WHEREAS, fair pay strengthens the security of families today and eases future retirement costs while enhancing the American economy; and,
WHEREAS, Thursday, March 26, 2026, marks the days into the year it takes for all US women on average to earn what all US men did the previous year;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 26, 2026, as Equal Pay Day in Michigan.
