According to a report released Tuesday as part of Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, the answer is a clear yes. This campaign raises awareness about how long black women working full-time year-round need to work on average to catch up with white men. The report shows that Mississippi’s wage gap is one of the largest in the country and that itdisproportionately impacts women of color. The largest gap exists between black women who work full-time year round and white, non-Hispanic males who do the same. In Mississippi, the wage gap is 56 cents per dollar, based on median earnings. Only the District of Columbia, with 52 cents per dollar, has a greater gap. The report also shows that 19 percent of Mississippi’s workforce is black. This disparity could mean that a black woman can earn $830,800 less per year than a white man for the same 40-year period. This research is part of a larger report about the economic security and Mississippi women by the Washington, D.C.-based National Women’s Law Center (Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative). It identifies two major problems that are behind the disparities in wage rates for Mississippians based on gender and race. These gaps are still present even in higher-wage jobs and higher education levels, which means that black women working as doctors or lawyers still earn less than their white male counterparts. Second, bosses still make workforce decisions based on discriminatory stereotypes of women and their families. For example, the belief that mothers are less capable and more committed to their work. These findings support the recommendations of the authors of the report — pass an equal pay bill for a state that has a history of resisting legal protections for women. They recommend that such a bill be passed to eliminate the salary history question in job applications, ban employers from punishing workers who disclose pay information, establish guidelines for equal compensation and claims, and require equal pay for similar jobs. Cassandra Overton Welchlin is the director of Mississippi Women’s Economic Security Initiative. She is one of many coalition partners with National Women’s Law Center promoting equal pay protections for Mississippi. Welchlin stated that pay equity for women should be part of larger discussions about Mississippi’s workforce development, as well as the state’s problems in retaining young workers. Equal pay bills in the state Legislature have not fared well. Fifty-five year after the passage the federal Equal Pay Act which prohibited discrimination on the grounds of sex, Mississippi, Alabama and other states still lack state pay equity laws or sex-based discrimination laws. “Those 48 other states, even those most conservative, have determined that the women in their states need some level of protection beyond federal Equal Pay Act,” Treasurer Lynn Fitch, one the most vocal Republicans in Mississippi on equal pay for women, stated to Mississippi Today. “They have admitted that having a one-size fits all approach from Washington, D.C. does not work for their citizens,” said Treasurer Lynn Fitch. In a statement to Mississippi Today, she stated, “They have also acknowledged that equal pay bills supported by Democrats in the state Legislature failed in recent years.” Opponents have described such legislation as “something that doesn’t do anything” and will likely drag employers who “have not done anything wrong” into court. David Baria (House Democrat, current U.S. Senate Candidat), who has filed equal pay bills every year for five years, claimed that the bill’s reception was a result of Republican supermajorities within both chambers. A recent effort, a bill written by Tracy Arnold (R-Booneville), who presented what he called a pro-life, faith-based argument for pay equity, was also killed in committee earlier this season. The bipartisan coalition building that took place in the two previous legislative sessions indicates that the issue may gain momentum next year. Arnold’s bill had House Democrats such as Baria and Rep. Kathy Sykes from Jackson as co-authors. A bill containing an equal pay amendment, which was added by Rep. Alyce. Clarke (D-Jackson), passed the House in February with a close vote of 2-1. The bill died in the Senate. Advocates said that equal pay legislation must be attractive to Mississippians. It should also benefit employers and the entire state. Welchlin stated that she has been in contact with the Mississippi Economic Council to discuss data showing equal pay and transparency regarding pay. This will help boost morale, productivity and decrease worker turnover. Sykes stated that there is a widespread misconception that increasing wages will result in fewer jobs. She also said that Mississippi Today would benefit from an increase in disposable income. According to the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the U.S. would generate $512.6 billion more income in 2016 if women were paid equal wages. This figure represents 2.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, and roughly 16 times the amount that the federal and state governments spent on fiscal year 2015. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Sykes stated, “When you raise the floor, everyone rises.” Many women don’t see it as a wage gap issue. Oleta Fitzgerald (Southern Regional Director of the Children’s Defense Fund) said that the unemployment gap in Mississippi is another reason for the wage gap. This gap is exacerbated by the state’s rural counties. Amanda Furdge, Young Women’s Leadership Director at Children’s Defense Fund, said that “day to day, we see women who are not able to find jobs or employment — let alone employment which offers them a living wages.” She has previously spoken out about the impact of the wage gap on single mothers. Furdge explained that a living wage is a wage that can provide for both the family and women, as well as basic needs like childcare and groceries. Fitzgerald stated that education and social capital are key factors in these areas of low economic development. “If you don’t have a good education, then you don’t have the skills.” Furdge stated that women with children often have to balance the need to provide for their family and make a living. Public assistance programs are often a requirement for women who rely on them for healthcare and childcare. They need to find work that pays them but doesn’t make them ineligible for those benefits. Furdge said that often those jobs are low-wage and have limited potential for personal or professional growth. How can wage equity be achieved? There are many approaches that advocates and legislators can take to make living and working in the state more equal for black women, particularly, but they differ from one another. Welchlin supports the idea of a tooth law, especially one that allows for employees to file a wage discrimination case and receive compensation. However, she would also like to see wage comparison studies implemented by companies. Fitch, the state treasurer and Welchlin both cite as an example a recent salary survey of Clinton’s city workers by Mayor Phil Fisher. This study examined whether women and minorities received the same compensation as white, male employees. Fitzgerald stated that establishing a central department of labor would promote equity and greater access to the labor force. Pay equity is possible only if Mississippi’s small businesses are taken into consideration. They make up nearly half of the state’s workforce and account for 96.2 percent. Fitzgerald stated that while unions can help workers receive equal compensation, it would be difficult to implement them across all small businesses in the state. While Welchlin recognizes that an equal pay law would need to be “tweaked to fit [small business’] budgets, and their needs,” she is still working out the details. Welchlin stated that another tactic to fight for wage equality is tapping into women’s votes. Her organization is now talking to women in the state about how to close the wage gap at a practical level. This includes what amount of childcare, mortgages, and groceries would be covered if the pay was equal. Welchlin stated that they would be taking these women to their legislators in the next session to have this discussion.