New report on equal pay in New Hampshire combines statistics and citizen feedback
September 8nd, 2014
Concord, NH –The New Hampshire Women’s Initiative, the Gender Research Institute of Dartmouth and the Women’s Fund of New Hampshire have teamed up to create a new report called Understanding Equal Pay in the Granite State. The brainchild of NHWI board member and volunteer Jennifer Alford-Teaster, the report represents a great collaboration not only between the three organizations, but several volunteers as well. The equal pay report will be released September 15th, 2014 and will be publicly available at NHWI.org.
The report outlines pay inequality as a national issue, the gender wage gap in the state, and finally an overview of potential solutions recommended by Granite State citizens.
In a state that celebrates strong participation of women in the political arena, New Hampshire lags behind the national average in many areas related to gender equality. Equal pay is no exception. While New Hampshire has more women in the workforce and graduating college than the national average, the gender wage gap is greater. Regardless of how the numbers are calculated, all current evidence shows a persistent wage gap across all occupations and stages of life, it’s just the magnitude of that gap varies.
Since 2011, The New Hampshire Women’s Initiative has held over 45 listening sessions with NH citizens from various ages, stages, and places. These sessions have all been facilitated and documented by volunteers. The feedback from these sessions has both shaped the NHWI agenda and provided deeper insight into the gender equality issues facing the Granite State. In 2013, 8 listening sessions were held with opinion leaders and HR professionals specifically on the gender wage gap. This feedback then helped to shape the discussion and recommendations portion of the report.
After co-facilitating the first Listening Session, Jennifer Alford-Teaster realized the need for a report which combines citizen feedback with statistical data. Alford-Teaster says, “As we learned in the research for this document, there is no straightforward answer to the complex issue of the persistent wage gap. However, there are many inter-connected levels of complex dynamics that keep women from earning their full potential.This document is a starting point for those in New Hampshire who have a commitment to addressing these complexities through meaningful dialogue, which will translate to creative action right here in the Granite State. Addressing the wage gap makes sense because it will promote thriving communities, which means a stronger economy for our collective future.”
Mary Jo Brown, Board Chair of the New Hampshire Women’s Initiative, sees the report as “A wonderful hybrid of statistics and citizen voices. We are deeply grateful to those who have attended and facilitated listening sessions around the state to inform our work and this report on equal pay. I hope this report can act as a conversation starter for individuals, businesses, and policymakers.”
Contact:
Mary Johanna Brown, Chair NHWI: nhwi.org: 603-436-5239
Jenn Alford-Teaster, NHWI Board Member and Lead Author: 603-660-6561
