The racial wage gap in the #UnitedStates is receiving renewed attention as employers grapple with issues of racism. Despite the #CivilRights Act being passed almost 56 years ago, equal pay for equal work remains elusive. A study by PayScale reveals that even as Black or African-American men progress in their careers, they continue to earn less than equally qualified white men.
Black men face the largest "uncontrolled pay gap," earning 87 cents for every dollar earned by white men. Hispanic workers also face a substantial pay gap. However, when comparing Black and white men with the same qualifications and experience in the same job and location, the pay gap narrows to 98 cents on the dollar.
This suggests that the opportunity gap and occupational segregation contribute significantly to the racial pay disparity. The wage gap is even more pronounced for Black women earning only 63 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. This gap persists across different income brackets and education levels.
The problem extends to education as well, with black and Hispanic workers with professional degrees earning significantly less than their white and Asian counterparts. Efforts to address the racial wage gap include enforcing anti-discrimination laws, offering tax incentives for minority entrepreneurs, and performing pay audits to eliminate unintentional racial biases in compensation decisions.
Salary history bans and the use of data-driven technology in hiring and compensation decisions are also recommended. Additionally, career mentoring programs are crucial to helping minority workers build social networks and advance in their careers.
The persistent racial wage gap in the United States highlights the deeply entrenched systemic disparities that continue to plague our society.
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Link: SHRM