LoginWomen in 2012 are earning around 81 percent of what their male counterparts are netting in weekly wages. According to a study by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), this represents a 1.2 percent increase in pay disparity over 2011, when the ratio of women's to men's median weekly full-time earning was 82.2 percent.
Annual numbers also showed a slight increase in gender pay inequality. In 2011 the ratio for men and women's median annual earnings was 77 percent, down from 77.5 percent in 2010 and equal to 2009's numbers. Data for 2012 is not yet available.
According to the Washington Post, life-chose issues, such as working in lower paying fields or leaving the workforce after having children, could explain some of the wage inequality.
"Women are more likely than men to work in minimum wage jobs and the stall in minimum wage increases disproportionately affects their earnings," said Dr. Heidi Hartmann, President of IWPR.
Adjusted for life-style choices and demographic information about race, the ratio improved but still demonstrated a noticeable gap. Instead of having made 77 cent on the dollar, women made 91 cents on the dollar when compared to men.
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