WHEREAS, More than 60 years after the passage of the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963, women, especially women of color, continue to suffer the consequences of unequal pay; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Census Bureau, women who work full time year round make under $0.83 for every dollar a man is paid; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Labor, the median salary for women in 2023 was $55,240, while the median salary for men in 2023 was $66,790; and

WHEREAS, The wage gap for Black, Latina, and Native American women is under $0.66 for every dollar White, non-Hispanic men make; and

WHEREAS, Black and Hispanic women have the lowest median salary earnings, with Hispanic women earning an average of $43,880 and Black women earning an average of $50,470; and

WHEREAS, Forty-four percent of women experience gender discrimination and are much more likely to work a part-time job compared to men; and

WHEREAS, Nearly 16 percent of married women are the primary breadwinners in their households, making pay equity critical to the financial security of their families; and

WHEREAS, Despite high workforce participation and educational gains, the gender pay gap and occupational segregation have led to lower lifetime earnings and reduced retirement savings for women; and

WHEREAS, Multiple studies indicate that women tend to receive lower Social Security benefits, have lower rates of retirement account ownership, hold lower estimated retirement account balances, and own fewer assets than men, with the median retirement income for women over 65 years of age being 32.6 percent lower than that of men; and

WHEREAS, Gaps in retirement security are even larger for women of color, with 40 percent of white women over 65 years of age receiving income from a pension or retirement savings account, compared to 27 percent of Black women, 26 percent of Asian women, and 20 percent of Hispanic women; and

WHEREAS, Women of color are less likely to own assets such as homes, businesses, or stock market investments, which provide income and financial security later in life; and

WHEREAS, Women continue to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and business, as well as in managerial positions, and are overrepresented in teaching, assistant, and childcare occupations; and

WHEREAS, Fair pay in California would strengthen the security of individuals and families today, regardless of education or socioeconomic status, while enhancing our statewide economy; and

WHEREAS, March 25 symbolizes the day in 2025 when the wages paid to women catch up to the wages paid to males from the previous year nationwide; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims March 25, 2025, as Women’s Equal Pay Day in California in recognition of the need to eliminate the gender gap in earnings by women and to promote policies to ensure equal pay for all; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.