{"id":2031,"date":"2020-10-29T15:28:59","date_gmt":"2020-10-29T15:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/?p=2031"},"modified":"2020-10-29T15:28:59","modified_gmt":"2020-10-29T15:28:59","slug":"a-preliminary-analysis-of-the-citys-payroll-shows-troubling-gender-racial-and-ethnic-pay-disparities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/press\/2020\/10\/29\/2031\/","title":{"rendered":"A Preliminary Analysis of the City\u2019s Payroll Shows Troubling Gender, Racial and Ethnic Pay Disparities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Women City Workers and Workers of Color\u00a0Earn\u00a0Thousands of\u00a0Dollars\u00a0Less\u00a0A\u00a0Year\u00a0Than\u00a0Male\u00a0Workers<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

New York, NY<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0A\u00a0preliminary\u00a0analysis\u00a0of\u00a0anonymized and publicly available\u00a0New York City employee\u00a0payroll data\u00a0conducted by the New York City Council\u00a0shows\u00a0significant\u00a0gender, racial, and ethnic\u00a0pay disparities\u00a0in the city\u2019s workforce,\u00a0Speaker Corey Johnson\u00a0and the Women\u2019s Caucus of the New York City Council announced on\u00a0Thursday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The\u00a0analysis of\u00a0salaries of\u00a0roughly 180,000, full-time city workers\u00a0shows\u00a0that male employees\u00a0roughly average\u00a0about $4,500\u00a0a year\u00a0more\u00a0than female employees.\u00a0The analysis also found that Black\u00a0city workers\u00a0average\u00a0about $7,600\u00a0a year\u00a0less than white workers,\u00a0while\u00a0Asians\u00a0tend to make\u00a0$6,500\u00a0a year less\u00a0than white\u00a0employees.\u00a0Additionally, the analysis\u00a0found that\u00a0non-Hispanic\/non-Latino workers\u00a0roughly average\u00a0about\u00a0$8,700\u00a0a year\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0Hispanic\/Latino.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

This data was made\u00a0available in response to\u00a0Local Law 18\u00a0of 2019,\u00a0sponsored by Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo and Council Member Daneek Miller, Chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, which was enacted last year\u00a0in an effort to\u00a0identify and address pay disparities among city workers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Local Law 18\u00a0requires\u00a0the Mayor\u2019s Office of Data Analytics (MODA)\u00a0to\u00a0annually\u00a0issue\u00a0anonymized\u00a0payroll\u00a0data\u00a0on the municipal workforce. The data\u00a0was released this month after being delayed by COVID. It can be found\u00a0following this\u00a0link<\/a>.\u00a0It\u00a0is required to be released publicly\u00a0every year. Per the law, it\u00a0should\u00a0include information on\u00a0gender, ethnicity and race to allow for an analysis on potential\u00a0pay disparities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The law\u00a0also\u00a0requires that\u00a0the Council, as part of its Charter-mandated oversight role on city agencies,\u00a0get\u00a0access to\u00a0all\u00a0employment level data\u00a0of\u00a0City workers\u00a0for 90 days\u00a0to conduct its own statistical analysis.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

This access will allow us to go deeper than the public data and to get at what factors may be causing these disparities\u00a0while\u00a0helping\u00a0us identify ways to address them.\u00a0The Council, which has never had access to this level of data before, expects this deeper analysis to be complete in the first quarter of 2021.<\/p>\n

The Council analysis used a mixed-effects statistical model to determine the disparities. The analysis factored\u00a0in\u00a0the following variables: job category, race, ethnicity and relevant city agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The analysis\u00a0does not address\u00a0job titles,\u00a0years of experience, level of education,\u00a0or\u00a0previous NYC employment,\u00a0which are\u00a0important factors to determine why women or people of color are making less.\u00a0But this analysis does tell us that overall, the City is paying men\u00a0and white employees\u00a0more. The Council\u00a0will be able to examine\u00a0those\u00a0factors\u00a0and more\u00a0in\u00a0our\u00a0next analysis\u00a0when we have access to significantly more data, per Local Law 18.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Studies show\u00a0that\u00a0gender, racial and ethnic wage gaps are a serious problem. New York women with full-time, year-round jobs earn $6,735 less than their male counterparts, or $.88 cents on\u00a0the\u00a0dollar,\u00a0according to a 2019 study by the National Partnership for Women & Families<\/a>. That figure gets even worse for New York women of color, according to the same study which found that Latina and Black women\u00a0on average\u00a0make $30,023 and $24,360 less, respectively, than men.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Local Law 18 of 2019\u00a0was crafted in response to the lawsuit the Communications Workers of America Local 1180 filed against the Bloomberg Administration\u00a0over racial and gender pay discrimination in 2013.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CWA alleged that the city had been systematically underpaying women and employees of color who held the \u201cAdministrative Management\u201d title. As proof, the CWA pointed out that in 1978 \u2013 when most people who held the Administrative Management title were men \u2013 the typical salary was the equivalent of about $92,000. As it became a title increasingly held by women, the pay fell to around $53,000.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The de Blasio Administration\u00a0eventually\u00a0settled with CWA, but\u00a0the settlement\u00a0only covered one\u00a0job title. The Council\u2019s legislation is a long-term effort to\u00a0right historic wrongs across all city agencies.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThese preliminary findings\u00a0are\u00a0troubling and\u00a0show exactly why\u00a0Local Law 18 of 2019 was so\u00a0important.\u00a0For too long, the many contributions of women and people of color have been short-changed. It\u2019s\u00a0incumbent on all of us to make sure we are working to right those\u00a0wrongs,\u00a0and\u00a0address\u00a0the biases and discriminatory practices that contribute to pay and opportunity gaps,\u201d\u00a0said Council Speaker Corey Johnson<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, this is no surprise. We knew pay disparities\u00a0existed when the CWA Local 1180 filed its lawsuit against the Bloomberg Administration in 2013. Our stats proved it, which is why the de Blasio Administration settled our lawsuit in March 2018, and a judge signed off on the final terms in July 2019. We are proud to have worked with the Council to pass Local Law 18 of 2019 to address the issue of pay disparity in the city work force. There is a history in New York City and this country where women and women of color have experienced racism, sexism, and all the\u00a0other\u00a0-isms\u00a0that have led to them being denied equality on the job in both pay and status.\u00a0Systemic bias in a city our mayor calls progressive\u00a0is unacceptable. It\u2019s also\u00a0unacceptable\u00a0that those in power who\u00a0are able to\u00a0set policies to address\u00a0these problems\u00a0refuse to do so. We implore Mayor de Blasio to commit to\u00a0seriously addressing pay parity once and for all,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Communications Workers of America\u00a0Local 1180 President Gloria Middleton<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0
\u201cIn order to create a more equitable world for women, especially working women of color like myself, we must have data accessible for the public that sheds light on the disparities we have been suffering through for generations.\u00a0We continue to bear the burden of childbearing, raising families, taking care of elderly parents, all the while juggling a full-time job where we do not get compensated for the same work that our male counterparts do.\u00a0I am eager to see how my bill, Local Law 18 of 2019 paves the way toward true equity in New York City by shining a light on these historic disparities. Thank you to Speaker Johnson for his unrelenting leadership and commitment to working for all New Yorkers,\u201d\u00a0said Council\u00a0Majority Leader Laurie\u00a0Cumbo<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCOVID-19 and other crises have highlighted the adverse impact of systemic racism on the upward mobility of New Yorkers of color, particularly our Black and Brown women. These initial findings demand that we institute real reforms to address racial bias and pay discrimination within our City\u2019s workforce. I look forward to the presentation of the Council\u2019s final analysis,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member I. Daneek Miller, Chair of the Committee on Civil Service and Labor<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYour gender, race or ethnicity should not predetermine the salary you earn in this city and in this country, but sadly we know that\u00a0in reality it\u00a0does far too often. I am grateful that the Council is working to address these long-term issues, and that we are beginning this work by looking at our own municipal workforce. Women and New Yorkers of color are on the frontlines every day in our city and deserve nothing less than equal pay for equal work,”\u00a0said Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, Co-Chair of the Women\u2019s Caucus.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe municipal workforce, a dedicated and culturally diverse group of individuals, has been the driving force behind\u00a0\u2018The City That Never Sleeps.\u2019\u00a0Every day, thousands of New Yorkers work tirelessly to care for our families, and it is our turn to care for theirs. We cannot create a more equitable city without ending pay disparities within our own ranks. We need to end the systemic inequalities that perpetuate economic, food, and housing insecurity citywide. I am proud to be amongst a legislative body that has enacted legislation to ensure fair treatment and economic justice in the workplace,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Farah N. Louis,\u00a0Co-Chair of the Women\u2019s Caucus.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis administration has repeatedly highlighted socio-economic inequities across our city, but it must lead by example. Every employee, no matter their background, deserves fairness. The City must address all salary inequities within its workforce now,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Chair, Committee on Women & Gender Equity.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUnequal and unfair pay has prevailed for far too long.\u00a0Pervasive pay gaps\u00a0continue to hurt women and people of color in measurable ways. A concerted effort must be made to effect bold change across the board. All employees must be compensated equally,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member Adrienne Adams<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cEqual pay for equal work is the hallmark of a just society. Pay disparities based on race, ethnicity, and gender run\u00a0contrary to our values as a city, and contrary to the values that the late Justice Ginsburg fought for. As we work to remedy the disparities laid bare by the COVID pandemic, we must also address these inequities with urgency. We must develop and implement a remedy, so that the work of all New Yorkers is honored and valued,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member Deborah Rose<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that income disparities in the City\u2019s workforce\u00a0might\u00a0impact New Yorkers by virtue of their gender, racial, and ethnic lines in the year 2020 is extremely unfortunate.\u00a0<\/strong>As a proud co-sponsor of local law 18, my interest is and has always been to ensure that we are doing everything in our legislative authority to do away with\u00a0any and all\u00a0inequities,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member Diana Ayala.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring my tenure as a Council Member, I have used my voice to elevate the need to increase the salary of council staffers and have supported lifting the pay of workers throughout New York City. For too long, spanning too many generations, Black and Latina women have fought against racial, economic and health inequities in this city, this state and this country. As we examine pay inequities more closely, these findings are extremely troubling. According to a study conducted in 2019, by the National Partnership for Women and Families, Latina and Black women make $30,023 and $24,360 less, respectively, than men on average. As the richest city in the nation, we can and must do better to change these dynamics. I support Speaker Corey Johnson for his efforts to address these pay inequities for our workers at City Council and other workers throughout our city,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Inez Barron.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI look forward to further examining the data and working with my colleagues to enact meaningful legislation to combat racism here at home. The pandemic is a sobering reminder of the very real consequences of systemic racism, as Black and Latinx New Yorkers have been dying from COVID-19 at roughly twice the rate of their white counterparts. This preliminary data presents an opportunity to create a long-term solution to bridge gaps in pay equity and it is important that we act immediately,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member Margaret S. Chin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank the Speaker and my fellow Council Members for championing wage equality for all, and for conducting this\u00a0preliminary\u00a0analysis that shows\u00a0men are making more than women, and\u00a0white New York City employees are making more than workers of color.\u00a0As one of only two Latinas in the City Council, I understand\u00a0first-hand\u00a0the challenges facing far too many New Yorkers fighting for their worth and their livelihoods, and I implore City Hall to\u00a0take seriously the issue of pay parity and begin doing the hard work to address it\u00a0immediately,\u201d\u00a0said Council Member Carlina Rivera<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Women City Workers and Workers of Color\u00a0Earn\u00a0Thousands of\u00a0Dollars\u00a0Less\u00a0A\u00a0Year\u00a0Than\u00a0Male\u00a0Workers<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

New York, NY<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0A\u00a0preliminary\u00a0analysis\u00a0of\u00a0anonymized and publicly available\u00a0New York City employee\u00a0payroll data\u00a0conducted by the New York City Council\u00a0shows\u00a0significant\u00a0gender, racial, and ethnic\u00a0pay disparities\u00a0in the city\u2019s workforce,\u00a0Speaker Corey Johnson\u00a0and the Women\u2019s Caucus of the New York City Council announced on\u00a0Thursday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

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