Public Advocate Pushes Pay Equity for Women

By MICHELLE CUMMINGS

In celebration of Women’s History Month on Thursday, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James rallied 400 female entrepreneurs committed to reducing gender-based inequity at a networking breakfast near City Hall.

“As entrepreneurs we have to make a road for other women,” she said. “The goal is to reimagine leadership.”

The Queens Economic Development Corporation and the Women’s Business Centers of New York City joined forces with the New York District Office of the Small Business Administration to support, motivate and activate women at an empowerment event.

The Above & Beyond summit showcased an inspiring panel discussion with successful females rethinking power, politics, and the workplace.

“Women’s work is valued less than men’s work,” said James.

She said a comparable worth analysis was needed and that she was about to release a study detailing gender pay disparities among city agencies.

James announced the release of her groundbreaking report, titled Wage and Hiring Inequity, in New York City Agencies, 20 minutes later on the steps of City Hall.

For the first time data to prove patterns of pay inequity and subjective promotions based on sex, gender, and race were published.

Legislative change requires gender and race wage data be available and transparent to the public, she said.

“This is not about a wage gap issue but an opportunity and access report,” said James. “it’s about women being overrepresented in lower paying agencies,” she said.

Researchers analyzed city payroll data from 2014 to 2017 for the study. They found 15 city agencies paid female workers more on average than men, compared with 56 agencies that paid men more.

James made several recommendations to combat discriminatory patterns of wage suppression in the study: Thorough and regularly-occurring payroll reviews for city agencies and annual reporting employee demographics, hiring, salaries, and departures, to inform policy making of employment, promotion, and retention.

“We have made great strides to break the political glass ceiling, but the economic glass ceiling continues to restrain us,” James said in a statement. “It is clear that our city must do more to support women and provide equal opportunities in the workplace.”