Apple Is Ending Gender-Based Pay Inequality within the Company

Why do women get paid less than men on average? There are a lot of reasons given: women tend to acquire traditionally lower-paying jobs, have less experience or education, and they don’t usually ask for a raise. However, these “reasons” may not be true.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) lists several myths and facts about the gender pay gap issue. For example, the organization references a study finding “male employers are less likely to hire a woman who negotiates about salary, as the men perceive these women as ‘demanding.’” Companies claim it’s getting better, but there is still progress to be made. “In 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was passed, women only made 59 cents on the dollar. That figure rose to 77 cents by 2004 and has increased by less than half a penny every year since,” according to NOW.

Just recently, Apple announced new diversity figures according to Nick Statt from The Verge. Statt says Apple not only has improved its hiring practices, but the company has also ensured the new employees are paid the same as white men. Statt says Apple made the move by, “analyzing salaries, bonuses, and annual stock grants, to ensure its workers in similar roles with equitable performance earn the same amount of money.” It’s a good move by the company, which has a fairly progressive view on issues like the environment and fairness. For one, it makes the company look more attractive to quality employees, specifically those who are minorities or women. Second, it puts pressure on other major corporations to do the same. Microsoft and Facebook recently made similar moves, and it seems as if a positive trend is beginning.

Doctor Catherine Hill wrote a post for The American Association of University Women (AAUW) on the issue, spilling out several facts. According to Dr. Hill, the pay gap between men and women has barely changed in a decade, and it’s worse for mothers as it “grows with age,” some states are worse than others, and almost every occupation has a pay gap. There’s a well-known statistic that suggests there is a 21% pay gap between pay with women and men, Hill writes. That means women only get paid 79% to what men do. That’s an average and may vary depending on the context.

Despite the effort Apple has made to better diversify their company, Statt reports there is still a significant disparagement as “men [represent] 67 percent of its workforce and white employees represent 54 percent of the total workforce.” Statt claims Apple is still working on improving their stats, so it’s fair to assume the company will further diversify its workforce.

The progress made so far with wages has been slow, but steady. Having equal pay will help everyone down the line. After all, a woman being paid less, influences her spending habits, and is ultimately bad for the economy. It’s also bad for families that rely on women who are either the breadwinners or make a significant financial contribution to their families. Apple and a few other major technology companies seem to get this. Hopefully more will follow suit.

Do you believe Apple will follow through in their mission to end pay inequality based on gender within the company? Let us know in the comments below.