FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

March 12, 2024   

Contact: [email protected]    

Governor Whitmer Proclaims March 12, 2024 as Equal Pay Day 

March 12th marks the number of days into the year that women would need to work to match what men made last year 

LANSING, Mich.  – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed March 12th as Equal Pay Day to bring attention to the Michigan women who experience unequal pay at all levels of work. 

“Women in Michigan and across the nation deserve equal pay for equal work,” said Governor Whitmer. “Women who work full-time are paid 84 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts, and women of color make even less. This discrepancy has ripple effects across our economy and impacts nearly every Michigan family. Fair pay is about making sure Michigan is place where anyone can work hard and build a good life. I’m proud of every Michigan woman working hard to provide for themselves and their families. I want you to know that I’m going to keep fighting for you.”  

Women in the U.S. who work full-time, year-round are typically paid only 84 cents for every dollar paid to their male counterparts. Based on today’s wage gap, a woman who works full-time, year-round could lose $399,600 over a 40-year career, a gap that only grows when examined by race and ethnicity. Nationally, for every dollar paid to their white, non-Hispanic male counterparts, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women are paid only 93 cents, Black women are paid only 69 cents, Native women are paid only 59 cents, and Latinas are paid only 57 cents. This wage gap typically means an annual loss of $22,120 for Black women, $30,450 for Latinas, $28,747 for Native women, and $4,690 for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander women. 

Governor Whitmer’s Record to Support Women 

In 2023, Governor Whitmer increased the Working Families Tax Credit to put an average of $3,150 into Michiganders’ pockets and assisting more than 700,000 Michigan households. She has also proposed statewide paid family and medical leave to help workers, especially women, care for loved ones, bond with newborns, and recover when they’re sick. During her first term, Governor Whitmer awarded grants to community-based organizations that help women understand and exercise their rights and benefits in the workplace. Governor Whitmer has appointed more than 1,280 women to boards, commissions, and full-time positions. 

Last year, Governor Whitmer signed the Reproductive Health Act to decriminalize abortions and ensure access to reproductive healthcare. This helped to build on the momentum in expanding abortion access across the state. Through Governor Whitmer’s Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Initiative, Michigan became one of the first states to support expecting mothers by covering doula services, so that they receive the care they need for a healthy pregnancy and support for interventions that are proven to increase health outcomes for women and their children.  

To view the full proclamation, click here.  

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