Improving Care Jobs is Key to Closing the Gender Wage Gap and Ensuring Equity in the Future of Work

Low wages and limited access to benefits among the paid adult care workforce, the largest growing occupation in the U.S. economy, threaten the economic security of care workers, and pose costs to employers and society as a whole, according to a new IWPR report. The study discusses the future of work for the paid adult care workforce, which is disproportionately women of color. The report finds that, while technological innovation is likely to increasingly complement care work, the potential for automation is much lower in care work than in many other jobs. Care jobs will continue to grow as other, and often better paid jobs for women disappear, potentially increasing inequality and the gender wage gap.

>>Read the report, The Future of Care Work: Improving the Quality of America’s Fastest-Growing Jobs.

>>Read coverage of IWPR’s research on care workers in The Guardian.

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Contraception Access Increases Women’s Educational Attainment and Earnings

A new report released by IWPR’s Center on the Economics of Reproductive Health synthesizes rigorous quantitative research on the economic impact of access to contraception in the United States and internationally. Findings from the literature show that access to contraception increases women's educational attainment, labor force participation, and earnings, and reduces poverty. The report connects evidence from legislative and funding changes in the 1960s and 1970s, beginning with the approval of the birth control pill, to the current policy landscape.

>>Read the report, The Economic Effects of Contraceptive Access: A Review of the Evidence

>> Read the fact sheet.

>> Read coverage in CNBC, “Birth control access has contributed to women’s wage increases, says new study”

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Progress on Closing the Gender Wage Gap Remains Stalled

IWPR updated its gender wage gap resources to reflect new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau last month. The gender wage ratio in 2018 was 81.6 percent, corresponding to a wage gap of 18.4 percent, a statistically insignificant change from the previous year (when it was 81.7 percent). The wage gap is more pronounced for Hispanic and Black women, who made just 54 cents and 62 cents, respectively, for every dollar earned by White men. White women also saw the largest earnings gains in the last year, while Black women saw the smallest.

>>Read the fact sheet.

>>Bookmark our updated resource, “Five Ways to Win an Argument about the Gender Wage Gap”

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[New Blog Series] Voices of Student Parents: “I have a responsibility to keep paving the path for those that come behind me”

More than one in five college students are parents, but student parents are often under-recognized on campuses. This blog series highlights the experiences of student parents, including the challenges they face, and the resources and supports that help them succeed.

>>Read Naomi’s story, “I have a responsibility to keep paving the path for those that come behind me”

>> Read Cecilia’s story, “Since most of my classes were only offered at night I struggled to find care for my son”

>>Read Felicia’s story, “Time is the biggest issue for sure.”

Listen to IWPR Study Director Lindsey Reichlin Cruse on NPR’s Morning Edition, “Colleges Could Do More To Help Student Parents Pay For Child Care, Watchdog Says”

>>Read the blog post .

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Pay Equity and Discrimination

On Point (NPR) | For The First Time, Women Are The College-Educated Workforce Majority (October 10)

Reuters | Kept awake by worries, Melinda Gates pledges $1 billion to women's rights (October 2)

NPR's Morning Edition | Older Americans Are Increasingly Unwilling — Or Unable — To Retire (October 2)

NBC News | More women think they'll be working well into traditional retirement years (September 26)

TIME | Many American Men Have a Skewed View of Gender Inequality, TIME Poll Finds (September 26)

The Washington Post | Michelle Williams’s Emmy speech on pay equity and power is an instant classic (September 23)

CNN | The gender pay gap will remain until companies change their ways (September 17)

Yahoo! Finance | The world’s most viral robot just praised Starbucks for closing its wage gap (September 12)

Huffpost | ‘Hustlers’ And The Gender Politics Of Making Money (September 12)

BizJournals | Women of color see employment gains (September 9)

Paid Leave

Des Moines Register | During Iowa visit, Kamala Harris said she plans to guarantee six months paid family leave (October 7)

Huffpost | 2 Million Federal Workers Don’t Get Paid Family Leave. That Might Change. (October 4)

Reuters | Gay fathers receive less parental leave than other couples: study (September 5)

Equity in Higher Education

The New York Times | Bulletin Board: Free College for Adults (October 10)

Diverse Issues in Higher Education | Achieving the Dream Convene Stakeholders to Discuss Student Parent Report (September 12)

NPR | Colleges Could Do More To Help Student Parents Pay For Child Care, Watchdog Says (September 12)

Reproductive Health

CNBC | Birth control access has contributed to women’s wage increases, says new study (September 26)

Violence & Safety

SELF | What Serena Williams Wants You to Know About Financial Abuse (September 26)

CNN | The gender pay gap will remain until companies change their ways (September 17)