Gender Wage Gap & The Evolution of Change

Wage Gap is a big debate not often discussed. Inequality in any form is controversial and often times set to the back burner until a fire is lit to put the issue to the forefront. While many public figures discuss the topics of unequal pay, there is still no sight of a 7% increase for women in the workplace coming to fruition. As this discrimination continues, the economy suffers. Women, who purchase a majority of needs for the family are at a disadvantage and thus the economy is negatively impacted as well. While the government in recent years has made some progress on closing the wage gap, the issue is still a forefront issue not only for our economy but for everyone in the workplace today.

While the wage gap between men and women have closed slightly since the 1970's, there is still a very large gap between the pay for men and women. According to research by the American Association for University Women (AAUW), the wage gap as of 2014 sits at 79 percent. That means for every $1.00 a man will get paid, a woman will only receive $0.79. Their research found that women of color, mothers, and aging women have an increasingly larger pay gap over their male counterparts.

Moreover, they concluded this happens in every occupation and in every industry.  AAUW found that even if all other elements in the equation being equal (prior job history, education, etc.), a man will continue to receive higher pay than his female counterpart. The biggest issues is the fact even with additional education women could go back and receive, it still does not close this wage gap.

Ariane Hegewish and Heidi Hartmann, Ph.D, in The Gender Wage Gap: 2014 found at the current wage gap and slow progression of closing this gap, it will take 45 years for women to have equal pay to men. Most women can agree they do not wish to wait until 2059 to obtain the same equal pay they are deserving as men are currently receiving. The study shows that outright discrimination in pay, hiring, or promotions continue to be a significant feature of working life today.

Not only does the imcome of the woman suffer greatly over time, but so does our own economy. In the January 2014 publishing of IWPR How Equal Pay for Working Women would Reduce Poverty and Grow the American Economy, researchers concluded that if women had equal pay to men, the economy would have produced and additional income of $447.6 billion dollars. Not only would it decrease the amount of those in poverty from 11.0 percent to 4.6 percent, but the income earned would then in turn be used in our economy. There is no secret that women are the primary buyers in the household and marketing firms are catering their ads around the female consumer. But, with women making a significant amount less than men, it becomes increasingly difficult to boost an economy with such a large wage gap.

Family planning and child rearing are a big factor in the wage gap between men and women. The Council of Economic Advisers provided the President of United States a brief in April 2015 titled Gender Pay Gap: Recent Trends and Explanations. In the brief, the council noted in the past, women's pay gaps have been due to the fact women have had to leave the workforce to deal with childbirth and child rearing. They have associated this with their wage "penalty" and noted that women who have delayed family planning by 1 year has increased a woman's wages by 9 percent. However, they noted men continue to increase pay even after their child is born, regardless of age and time of family planning begins. Another study concluded that a lack of paid leave is particularly detrimental to women’s long-term salaries and careers.

The largest factor in wage gap between men and women is regarding discrimination against women based on their race. The Center for American Progress published Women of Color and the Gender Wage Gap in April 2015. The study, researched by Milia Fisher, found women of color experienced having lower paying jobs, fewer hours worked, and dealt with more caregiver burdens than white women. Additionally, the research found that only 35 percent black women, 26 percent of Hispanic women were employed in higher ranking management-related job fields versus 48 percent Asian women and 43 percent white women. In 2014, as a result of the wage gap, White women worked free for 59 days, Black women worked free for 94 days and Hispanic women worked free for 117 days. 

While the government has made some headway in this wage gap discrimination, there is still more work needed to be done in order to close the wage gap. Since the Equal Pay Act of 1963, there has not been a great deal of legislature on the wage gap since the recent bill passed by congress. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was a monumental change for women and the progression to close the wage gap. This Act allowed each paycheck to reset the 180-day clock for filing a complaint, making it much more realistic to hold employers who engage in wage discrimination responsible for their action and the subsequent damages they cause. While many male leaders in congress voted against the bill (all being male), it allows women to ensure they are being paid fairly, and hold those companies accountable. If you feel you have been discriminated against, you can also report the discrimination to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 

Until the discrimination in pay between men and women cease, our economy will continue to suffer. While the government has made some headway in keeping the employers accountable, there is still a long way to go before the wage gap is finally closed. While women still make up over half of the workforce, their work is only minimally paid. Meanwhile, racial discrimination is a continued fight for women of color in addition to wage gap. And, with women being forced to place family planning on hold for their careers and pay, the working industries as we know it are ever changing. Until the wage gap between genders close, these issues will still be a topic of debate.

Healthcare & The Upcoming Presidental Elections

Regardless of political party affiliation you support, healthcare is one of the larger topics covered during each election debate. And, regardless of what candidate you may or may not support, each one has their own stance on healthcare reform and how to change the system by their vision about healthcare. Examining healthcare as a whole can better determine who may be the ideal candidate to choose come the next Presidential election.

Currently, a majority of Americans have been affected by ObamaCare or (Affordable Care Act - ACA) and even more so now have insurance policies as a result of this law, an act pushed by The President of the United States, Barack Obama during his promises during the election time as well as his time in office. Noted The Commonwealth Fund study concluded 6.7 million people enrolled in a healthcare plan through the ACA and reduced their cost-related care problems, such as prescription refills or skipping vital medical testing. The study also found low-income families are being insured but the amount of low-income families without medical insurance is at its lowest level since 2003. While these stats are ever improving and the gaps are closing on those uninsured, there are still issues in healthcare which prove to be large topics of concern.

A rising concern around healthcare is the increasing cost. As companies, like Wellpoint, Inc., who begin mergers reduce the amount of competition in the healthcare field, thus driving costs of medical equipment, prescription drugs and premiums through the roof. With the baby boomer generation aging and the rumor about the Medicare Program being bankrupted by the baby boomer generation, all eyes are on the candidates to see what their plans are for lowering healthcare costs during their terms in office.

One of the biggest and most controversial topics during the debates is over abortion. As a big topic under healthcare, not just under women's health, it becomes a heated topic each election. With issues like support of Planned Parenthood, who during the 2014 election spent just under $1.6 billion on political contributions, they can be a key player in aiding candidates and lobbyist on their campaigns. Each candidate has their own take for supporting or rallying against this medically controversial issue and all have placed their vote in past issues while holding political offices in their own states. Per the 2015 Gallup polls, 51% of Americans believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, while 29% are for and 19% are fully against it. Most voters can agree on certain issues like those pertaining to the health of the mother or instances where rape was evident in the conception of the unborn fetus. As specified are not addressed during the debates, it can be difficult to see where each candidate sits on the issues under certain circumstances.

Most Americans want protection by their government against increasing costs; they do not want unexpected charges and outlandish fees from healthcare providers. They want to know if Medicaid will be available to them during their retirement days. And, these voters want answers; they want to know if they have the ability to make a decision on a controversial issue regarding a woman's right to choose. And, the candidate who can be the answer to the voter's needs most, will ultimately win the next election. While other topics of interest have overwhelmed the debates, one topic is always on the list to speak on: Healthcare. And, this upcoming election may be chosen based on what side the candidate is on regarding important healthcare issues. Stay Tuned, America. "Times they are a'changing."

Work-Life Balance: Is Work to Blame for your BMI?

According to a new study published by Social Sciences & Medicine, there may be a link between your skills — and the freedom to use them in your job — and your BMI and waistline. Which begs the question, do you have work-life balance?

Each day we go to work, and with each 8-hour day that passes we utilize our skills and resources to do the tasks placed before us. But, what if you did not get to exercise these skills? What if your boss did not give you the freedom to use these skills day-in and day-out to improve and excel in your position? It would be likely you would not feel fulfilled and content with your position. And, as a result of that your waistline and Body Mass Index (BMI) could start creeping up higher on the scale. 

The University of Adelaide studied 450 middle-aged male and females. After taking body measurement of each individual, they conducted a telephonic questionnaire about the participants job. After removing other factors such as income level, gender, type of work and hours worked, they concluded a high demand in a position as well as the effects of the high demand in said job correlated with individuals increasing levels of obesity. PhD candidate and lead author on the study, Christopher Bean, noted that "when looking at the wide system of factors that cause and maintain obesity, work stress is just a small part of a very large and tangled network of interactive factors." He goes on to say "on the other hand, work is a fundamental part of life for many, so it is important to find innovative ways of extending our understanding of how factors at work may be implicated in the development and maintenance of obesity." The study also concluded the higher ranking of a position and increased requirement for decision-making, the higher the waistline of the individual.

Other studies by Central Queensland University and University of South Australia concluded similarly with job freedoms to utilize skills one already has is linked to lower Body Mass Index (BMI) and lower waist size. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity has doubled since 1980 and continues to rise. In 2014, more than 1.9 Billion adults, ages 18 and older, were overweight. Of that number, 600 Million were obese. While many consumers point to eating too much and a more sedentary lifestyle, that is only seen as part of the problem. However, the WHO notes "changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education." 

Social Science & Medicine's 2014 study suggests the number of hours a mother works has a direct impact on their child's eating habits, exercise and even BMI. The study found the children of mother who worked longer hours than other mothers in the study watched television longer and consumed more unhealthy food items. While the answer is not to have mothers cease working, it does give us an idea on how we can have a healthier work-life balance and its affect not only on us but our families as well. 

Job satisfaction plays an important role at the employee level as a determinant of individual well-being. Thus, individual health can also, from a business standpoint, provide key information to not only workers' productivity but with improved job satisfaction can reduce sick leave and likelihood of medical treatment. A study published by The University of Hohenheim-Stockholm concluded with increasing job satisfaction would directly impact the employees health and decrease company expenditures on healthcare-related costs. It directly states "job satisfaction does not only prevent workers from becoming disabled or from developing more sever forms of disability, but there is also some evidence that improvements in job satisfaction over time exert a 'healing' effect."

With increased work-life balance in individuals, it not only creates a more harmonious future for children and show signs of lower risk to obesity, but it also can improve an individuals health. If we look not only to financial gains from employment but also to more mental health as well, we can improve both our physical and mental health for us and future generations. 

The United Nations & Youth Envoy Goals

I, like many millennials, do not always understand the entire process of the United Nations. We often find ourselves with the lack of exposure to the UN and their impact on our everyday lives. Like many millennials, I find most of my news and current event updates through social media. And, after watching fellow millennial, UN Secretary General Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, I was inspired.

Ahmad Alhendawi is not just any millennial, he made history as the youngest appointed senior official at the United Nations, and he is speaking on behalf of the 1.8 billion millennials globally. He has created ways to have all the youth of today participate in their own panels to invest in their own futures by making recommendations to the UN system on changes they can implement. By allowing the input of millennials to be used to aide UN decision-makers, it closes the gap of non-communication with a generation which will one day be the lawmakers while allowing millennials to participate in the process of changing their own world.

Alhendawi is a main participant in the United Nations' initiative called : The Sustainable Developmental Goals, 17 objectives to change the entire world by 2030. Each goal is designed to implement human equality,  extreme poverty, and environmental stability by helping shape policy and agenda items for all UN member states. Not only can millennials find ways to aide in these goals, Alhendawi has provided resources for youth to be able to take action in their own cities by providing organizations to join and participate. It also answers many questions millennials ask about the goals as well as providing a blogging atmosphere and posted videos on updates of the initiatives, allowing youth to engage live using twitter chats and social media for outreach.

As technology becomes more streamlined and readily available for everyone world-wide, all millennials will be able to be more in-tune with their world. According to industry research,  45% of millennials follow their news daily from social networking websites. And, more often than not, they will stumble upon news from their own social networks and peers. With this network of potential outreach, technology has allowed advancement of news and conversation of various topics globally. With the current shift Millennials are doing in the workplace, it is only a matter of time until their impact of change is on a global scale.  

 The 2006 Cone Millennial Cause Study found that Millennials do care about their world and their surroundings. The study found "Sixty-one percent [of millennials] are worried about the state of the world and feel personally responsible to make a difference." It also notes "this generation is worried about the world on a broad scale, and expects companies to support major world issues. Given their immediate access to news and current events, it is no surprise that Millennials are very aware of the world around them." And, they want their employers to be committed to the same social issues as they are, to make the world a better place. The study noted "56% said they would refuse to work for a company that they found to be unfriendly to social and environmental causes." 

Growing up with the Internet has exposed Millennials to an entire Global Community and increased their awareness of news and world events. Millennials have numerous ways to readily learn about world affairs, and are happy to take on this challenge.  They believe it is up to them to assume the responsibility of making a lasting, positive impact on the future. With the UN goals and the Millennials' drive to make their own lives more enriched and the world truly a better place, they can make a positive impact on the future.