Leveling the Equal Pay Sector: Why Black Women Should Talk to Friends and Family About Pay

I stood there – frozen. As the news permeated me, I felt a wave of emotion immediately hit me. anger. shame. Sense of guilt. Embarrassment.

I was being paid $5,000 for a project while my white counterpart was being paid $30,000. A lesson I carry with me today, sadly.

according to AAUWMore, black women earn 58 cents for every dollar white men earn. Equal Pay Day for Black Women, she said, is September 21st, the approximate date black women will have to work into the new year, and must be paid the same as non-Hispanic white men earned at the end of the previous year. I have. Simply put, this year a black woman will have to work 264 more days until 2022 to earn the salary that a non-Hispanic white man earned her in 2021.

That’s crazy, right? Part of this pay gap stems from the fact that we generally don’t bargain as much as other groups and companies have used secrecy to underpay women and minorities. , it’s time to start talking about money. The sooner we negotiate and the more we stand up for ourselves, the more we can nudge towards pay equity. Because if so, I wasn’t in the situation I was in.

In fact, according to a George Mason University study, a failed negotiation can cost you $600,000 over your career.

Talk to your friends about your salary.

Founder of Jordan Sale 81 centsassists historically excluded minorities in wage negotiations through data collection and hands-on mentorship, stating that “if you don’t talk about your salary, you’re at a disadvantage, and if your pay is commensurate with the market.” You won’t be able to know if there is, and you won’t be able to ask how.Some have even approached negotiations in the past.

“Salary information alone doesn’t tell the whole story,” says CPRW’s Pamela Shand. She said, “I don’t know if she’s going to be competitive for her industry, years of experience, company scope, etc. Discussing numbers is not as effective as discussing approaches, strategies and experience. .”

As someone with tech/enterprise recruiting experience, I agree: your friends to be a more competitive candidate as there are many factors that can affect your market value. Understanding what your colleagues and colleagues did, or the strategies they took to negotiate salaries, can help.You feel more confident when defending yourself.

Diversifying the people you talk to about money is also important. “Talk about payments with people who look different than you to avoid accidentally getting below-market data,” says Jordan. “So be sure to get diverse perspectives on whether your salary is fair and how you approach negotiations!”

Discuss your salary with your family.

Our relationship with money begins in our families at an early age. By having transparent discussions about money, knowledge of costs can be passed on from generation to generation, ultimately preparing future generations to defend themselves and their families.

2017, american progress center documented that more than 84% of black mothers are the primary, sole or co-breadwinner in their families. We are typically overworked, underpaid, and don’t have the same ability to turn down opportunities with the help of safety nets and generational wealth as whites do.

Bills have to be paid at the end of the day, so I shamelessly admit that I’ve held many low-paid roles. , may apply to other Black women who might take on roles. “Accept things” is often the case.

When we fear jeopardizing our job security and focus on survival rather than negotiation, we subconsciously pass those fears on to our families. How many of you have been taught that you have to work twice as hard?

However why Should you work twice as hard in half the time? Correct Answer: You shouldn’t.

How to start talking about money.

Here are some actionable steps to start talking about fair wages in preparation for your next negotiation.

1. Start by networking with a few friends who have similar experiences in your field. Once you’ve built rapport with them, have regular open conversations about compensation and promise to respect each other to excel in your career!
2. If you need help ASAP, invest in a compensation analysis/market value report or a negotiation coach that can help you identify and communicate the value you bring to your organization.
3. attend black women equal pay day event Or find a salary negotiation workshop.