Federal Gender Pay Disparity Expands Over Time, According to EEOC
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a new report that sheds light on the persistent gender pay gap among federal workers, particularly those over the age of 40. According to the report, women under 40 are paid an average of $2,608 less than their male counterparts on an annual basis. However, the gender pay gap among federal workers 40 and older is significantly larger, with women earning an average of $6,927 less than their male counterparts each year. The report found that the overall gender pay gap for federal workers 40 and older is 7.4 cents on the dollar, compared to 3.6 cents on the dollar for those under 40. Furthermore, the gender pay gap among older federal workers is three times larger than among younger workers. The EEOC suggests that efforts to decrease the gender pay gap should focus on agencies with the largest gaps. Agencies such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs were highlighted as having particularly large gaps. The report also suggests that the late-career gender pay gap may be due to a 'cumulative disadvantage' that occurs when an initial advantage or disadvantage leads to larger differences over time. In an effort to address the gender pay gap, the Biden administration banned the use of job candidates' salary history as part of the hiring and pay-setting process at federal agencies. However, a recent withdrawal of a proposal that would have banned the use of salary history by federal contractors during their own hiring processes has raised concerns about the administration's commitment to addressing the issue. The EEOC recommended that agencies should identify and address barriers that create gender pay differences, particularly among those 40 and over. Additionally, the commission emphasised that efforts to decrease the gender pay gap should be ongoing and continued even after the inauguration of a new president. The report also found that education accounted for a 2.3 cents per dollar decrease to the pay gap for younger employees, compared to a 0.3 cent decrease for those 40 and older. The amount of a federal worker's experience in government increases the pay gap among younger workers by 2.9 cents on the dollar and adds 0.8 cents on the dollar to the gap for those 40 and older. The status of a federal employee as a veteran decreased the pay gap by 1.6 cents on the dollar for younger feds and 1.4 cents per dollar for those 40 and older. Occupation increases the gender pay gap by 1.6 cents per dollar for federal workers under 40 and by 2.1 cents among the older cohort. Interestingly, women entering the federal workforce are more likely to have attained advanced college degrees than men. The EEOC's report highlights the need for continued efforts to address the gender pay gap among federal workers, particularly among those over the age of 40. By identifying and addressing the barriers that contribute to the pay gap, the commission hopes to help ensure that all federal workers are paid fairly and equitably.
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