BPW Australia (the Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women) is marking Equal Pay Day 2022 by joining Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) call for business leaders to commit to taking immediate action.
WGEA is an Australian Government statutory agency created by the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. The Agency is charged with promoting and improving gender equality in the Australian Workplaces.
This year, (Un) Equal Pay Day 2022 will be on 29th August , marking the 60 additional days from end of previous financial year that women must work on average to earn the same annual pay as men. Thursday’s average weekly earnings data, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), shows that men are earning an average of $263.90 more than women a week.
“The new gender pay gap is 14.1%, or $263.90 per week , an increase over the last 6 months, which means women are making tougher decisions about maintaining their cost-of-living standards in this current inflationary climate. Latest monthly household spending indicator released by ABS for June shows an increase over 10%. Women are earning less than men but spending the same to maintain their households. This is not just unequal; it places stress on Australian households.” Jacqueline Graham, BPW Australia President said.
Mary Wooldridge, WGEA Director, is calling on employers to take immediate action to reduce the gender pay gap by conducting a pay gap audit. This will give them a clear picture of what’s driving their pay gaps and the opportunities for improvement, that will benefit their employees and their business over time. Data has shown in the past that provides overwhelming evidence that when employers analyse their data for pay gaps and take clear actions, their pay gap reduces.
“To drive change in the community we need leadership and action to achieve a more just, more equal and more inclusive society for a strong and thriving Australia,” Jacqueline said.
To find out more , go to https://www.wgea.gov.au/
