Skip to content Skip to search

Republish This Story

* Please read before republishing *

We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives Creative Commons license as long as you follow our republishing guidelines, which require that you credit The 19th and retain our pixel. See our full guidelines for more information.

To republish, simply copy the HTML at right, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to The 19th. Have questions? Please email [email protected].

— The Editors

Loading...

Modal Gallery

/
Sign up for our newsletter

Menu

  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Latest Stories
  • Search
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Work With Us
  • Fellowships
    • From the Collection

      Changing Child Care

      Illustration of a woman feeding a baby a bottle
      • The full PUMP Act is now in effect. Here’s what it does for lactating parents.

        Chabeli Carrazana · April 28
      • 1 in 4 parents report being fired for work interruptions due to child care breakdowns

        Chabeli Carrazana · February 2
      • Washington, D.C., offers financial relief to local child care workers

        Orion Rummler · September 20
    • From the Collection

      Next-Gen GOP

      Illustration of a woman riding an elephant
      • Mayra Flores’ victory set a record for women in Congress. It also reflects the growing visibility of Republican Latinas

        Candice Norwood · June 21
      • A banner year for Republican women

        Amanda Becker · November 11
      • Republican women could double representation in the U.S. House

        Amanda Becker · November 4
    • From the Collection

      On The Rise

      Illustration of three women marching
      • Can Cheri Beasley build a winning coalition in North Carolina?

        Candice Norwood · October 11
      • Los Angeles has never elected a woman mayor. Karen Bass hopes to change that.

        Nadra Nittle · September 8
      • Judge J. Michelle Childs is confirmed to D.C. appeals court

        Candice Norwood · July 20
    • From the Collection

      Pandemic Within a Pandemic

      Illustration of four people marching for Black Lives Matter with coronavirus as the backdrop
      • Some LGBTQ+ people worry that the COVID-19 vaccine will affect HIV medication. It won’t.

        Orion Rummler · November 23
      • Why are more men dying from COVID? It’s a complicated story of nature vs. nurture, researchers say

        Mariel Padilla · September 22
      • Few incarcerated women were released during COVID. The ones who remain have struggled.

        Candice Norwood · August 17
    • From the Collection

      Portraits of a Pandemic

      Illustration of a woman wearing a mask and holding up the coronavirus
      • For family caregivers, COVID is a mental health crisis in the making

        Shefali Luthra · October 8
      • A new database tracks COVID-19’s effects on sex and gender

        Shefali Luthra · September 15
      • Pregnant in a pandemic: The 'perfect storm for a crisis'

        Shefali Luthra · August 25
    • From the Collection

      The 19th Explains

      People walking from many articles to one article where they can get the context they need on an issue.
      • The 19th Explains: How to ease the ‘loneliness epidemic’ and social isolation among older adults

        Sara Luterman · April 24
      • The 19th Explains: Who will be most impacted by Medicaid changes — and when

        Rebekah Barber · March 28
      • The 19th Explains: What we know about Brittney Griner’s case and what it took to get her home

        Candice Norwood, Katherine Gilyard · December 8
    • From the Collection

      The Electability Myth

      Illustration of three women speaking at podiums
      • Mayra Flores’ victory set a record for women in Congress. It also reflects the growing visibility of Republican Latinas

        Candice Norwood · June 21
      • Stepping in after tragedy: How political wives became widow lawmakers

        Mariel Padilla · May 24
      • Do term limits help women candidates? New York could be a new testing ground

        Barbara Rodriguez · January 11
    • From the Collection

      The Impact of Aging

      A number of older people walking down a path of information.
      • From ballroom dancing to bloodshed, the older AAPI community grapples with gun control

        Nadra Nittle, Mariel Padilla · January 27
      • 'I'm planning on working until the day I die': Older women voters are worried about the future

        Mariel Padilla · June 3
      • Climate change is forcing care workers to act as first responders

        Jessica Kutz · May 31
    • From the Collection

      Voting Rights

      A series of hands reaching for ballots.
      • Ranked-choice voting is gaining momentum. So are efforts to stop it.

        Barbara Rodriguez · April 24
      • Connecticut voters approved early voting. Here’s how their new secretary of state wants to make it happen.

        Barbara Rodriguez · February 13
      • Women lawmakers in Minnesota are in the vanguard of the democracy movement

        Barbara Rodriguez · February 3

    View all collections

  • Explore by Topic

    • 19th Polling
    • Abortion
    • Business & Economy
    • Caregiving
    • Coronavirus
    • Education
    • Election 2020
    • Election 2022
    • Election 2024
    • Environment & Climate
    • Health
    • Immigration
    • Inside The 19th
    • Justice
    • LGBTQ+
    • Military
    • Politics
    • Press Release
    • Race
    • Sports
    • Technology

    View All Topics

Home
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Latest Stories
  • Search
  • Upcoming Events
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Work With Us
  • Fellowships

We’re an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy. Read our story.

The 19th News(letter)

News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday.

You have been subscribed!

Submitting...

Uh-oh! Something went wrong. Please try again later.

Become a member

The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one.

Business & Economy

‘I asked to be paid fairly and I was fired’: Pay gap stories from 19th readers on Equal Pay Day

Women still make about 82 cents for each dollar made by White men. Readers of The 19th shared their stories about when they realized they were paid less or advocated for more.

Annelise McGough

Newsletters Editor

Annelise McGough portrait

Published

2021-03-24 15:23
3:23
March 24, 2021
pm

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

Today is Equal Pay Day: Women still make about 82 cents on each $1 for White men, and many women of color won’t start marking their Equal Pay Day until well into summer. Compared with their White man counterparts:

  • Black women earn 63 cents
  • American Indian and Alaska Native women earn 60 cents
  • Latinas earn 55 cents
  • Asian American or Pacific Islander women earn 85 cents, though they face much starker wage gaps across ethnic groups. 

In yesterday’s 19th newsletter, we asked subscribers to share how you have advocated for yourself in an effort to get the pay you deserve. We received many responses, underscoring just how prevalent this issue is for our community. We’re sharing some here from our subscribers, lightly edited, and you can read more responses or contribute your story on Twitter or Facebook. And sign up here to get the newsletter in your inbox.

The 19th thanks our sponsors. Become one.

‘I still kick myself for not negotiating upfront’

Stephanie: I was hired as an assistant vice president for development, managing a team of four executive directors. During the salary negotiation, I was told, “One of your direct reports, a man, makes more than you. There are reasons for it. It isn’t negotiable.” I felt pressured to accept the job as is, and I did.

A year later, when I had a new boss, I discussed this inequity with him and he secured a $20,000 raise for me. I still kick myself for not negotiating upfront but appreciate the advocacy that resulted in equity down the line. From then on, I made sure to negotiate for every salary.

‘I knew single women ministers were taken advantage of’

Andrea: When I entered pastoral ministry, that’s when the pay gap raised its ugly head. I found out when I applied for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) 12 years ago that I’d be making more “disabled” than I’d ever made “on the job.” I knew women ministers got less pay. I knew single women ministers were taken advantage of. But when my SSDI came in at twice my weekly pay … and that was because in all my 30 years of ministry, I only had one year paid into Social Security on a $21,000 package.

‘The men … told us if we wanted equal pay, then they would take our coaching jobs’

Irene: In the later 1970s, I was a girls’ basketball coach and fought for equal pay, facilities, etc. for the women’s athletic programs. I called a meeting of all the coaches in the school system and told them about Title IX. Needless to say, the men were not happy and told us if we wanted equal pay, then they would take our coaching jobs. Unfortunately, as many of us had children and felt we had to stop coaching, the men took our jobs and now many women’s athletic programs are coached by men.

Later that year, my friend, who was the softball coach, sued for equal pay. It was denied by our superintendent and the school committee, but we fought it with the help of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and won. A new equal pay scale was proposed and agreed on by a committee of coaches.

That seems like ancient history, but the recent news about the NCAA women’s basketball tournament having inferior facilities certainly reminds us that we still have to fight for equality.

‘I accidentally found a spreadsheet … that outlined the pay of several newer hires’

Mandy: Several years ago, I received a promotion to the executive ranks of my company. It came with a bump in pay, but one I now know was very low compared to others on the same team. I think I got that offer because I hadn’t worked at that level before and didn’t know what to ask for. 

A few months into my new position, I accidentally found a spreadsheet on our company Google Drive that outlined the pay of several newer hires. I saw that a guy who was essentially the CEO’s assistant, who was 10 years younger and had no management responsibilities, was making about $20,000 more than me. That lit a much-needed fire under me to advocate for myself. I didn’t mention the spreadsheet (though I did tell HR they should lock it down), but I did advocate for a larger salary due to the fact I was managing the largest employee group (by far) in the company and received what I asked for at my next performance review. 

‘The EVP said to me … “You have a nice apartment, a sports car and you don’t have children. … What more could you need?”’ 

Lee: My story goes back a number of years, circa 2001 to 2002, and it still stings to this day. I was in my 40s, married with no children, and with a successful spouse. My manager, a man, retired and I was fortunate — grateful? — to be named successor as a senior manager at a bank and to assume his responsibilities. I made an appointment with my new manager, an executive VP, a man whose wife I was aware didn’t work, to discuss my compensation adjustment to reflect my new role, title and responsibilities. The EVP said to me in response to my request for a raise appropriate to the facts: “You have a nice apartment, a sports car and you don’t have children, so no tuitions to pay. What more could you need?” 

I was furious then and remain furious these 20 years later. I always thought I should have replied, “I’m sorry, do you want me to sue you now or next week?” But I didn’t have the courage, and left the firm within two years, after an extremely successful 18-year career there.  

P.S. I’ve thrived in an incredible environment at a terrific firm and I report to a tremendously supportive and fabulous EVP — a woman. 

‘I received my salary increase and immediately started looking for another role’

Michele: The most obvious example of a pay gap was 10 years ago when I worked for a consultancy firm in the United Kingdom. I discovered that a male colleague who was junior in experience and role was earning 10,000 pounds more than me per year. I had to meet with my manager and let him know I was willing to resign unless he corrected the situation. I remember sitting across from him with my resignation letter in an envelope sitting on the table — unopened — waiting to see if he was going to say “no” and see if I was bluffing. He did not. I received my salary increase and immediately started looking for another role.

A newsletter for the new electorate

Analysis and interviews from Errin Haines, delivered to your inbox every other week.

You have been subscribed!

Submitting…

Uh-oh! Something went wrong. Please try again later.

‘Becoming a mother gave me the newfound courage to make a bold ask’

Angie: I had just returned to work from maternity leave with my first child and knew I wanted to stay in the workforce, but also knew I needed to make more to afford day care. At the same time, I saw an opportunity to suggest a new organizational director level at my growing nonprofit employer to better manage the growth. I prepared a two-page proposal of my work accomplishments over the previous five years and an outline of how the new director level could help the organization be more effective and continue the growth trajectory. I presented the proposal to my supervisor, which included a promotion for her and another female colleague as well, and requested a 30 percent increase in salary for the additional responsibilities I would assume at the new level. The 30 percent salary increase would cover a full year of daycare, and make it more worthwhile for me to choose to stay in the workforce. 

My supervisor advocated for the proposal and it was implemented by the organization five months later. Looking back, becoming a mother gave me the newfound courage to make a bold ask. The decision set the tone for my future income and showed me I should always ask and advocate for what my work is worth.

‘I asked to be paid fairly and I was fired’

Jenn: Six years ago I found out that I was being underpaid in comparison to my male colleagues. I asked to be paid fairly and I was fired. [My former employer] contested my unemployment and appealed (losing all times) so I had no income for six months. It ruined my credit and my financial future. But after a year break, I began to practice law on my own terms and six years later, I am the happiest I’ve been in my 11-year law practice. 

There’s so much propaganda about how women don’t ask to be paid fairly, but we do. We don’t always get a legal response.

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

The 19th News(letter)

News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday.

You have been subscribed!

Submitting...

Uh-oh! Something went wrong. Please try again later.

Become a member

Up Next

US soccer player Megan Rapinoe (R) speaks, flanked by US President Joe Biden (L) and First Lady Jill Biden during an Equal Pay Day event.

Politics

U.S. women’s soccer players join Equal Pay Day conversations at White House

First Lady Jill Biden spoke about learning she was paid less than a man hired at the same time, and the president signed a proclamation. 

Read the Story

The 19th
The 19th is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our stories are free to republish in accordance with these guidelines.

  • Donate
  • Newsletter
  • Events
  • Search
  • Jobs
  • Fellowships
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Community Guidelines
  • Membership
  • Membership FAQ
  • Major Gifts
  • Sponsorship
  • Privacy
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram