Declare Mother's Equal Pay Day

June 6, 2017, as Mother's Equal Pay Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, Mothers who work full time, year round and have children under 18 at home typically have lower earnings than fathers ($38,000 compared to $55,000), meaning mothers only make 69 cents for every dollar paid to fathers; this translates to a wage gap of 31 cents on the dollar, which is larger than the overall wage gap of 23 cents; and WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Census Bureau, year-round, full-time working women in 2010 earned only 77.4% of the earnings of year-round, full-time working men, indicating little change or progress in pay equity; and WHEREAS, Even though mothers make less, they are increasingly responsible for providing for their families; mothers are breadwinners or co-breadwinners in almost two-thirds of families with children in the United States; and WHEREAS, Over a working lifetime, this wage disparity costs the average American woman and her family an estimated $700,000 to $2 million in lost wages, impacting Social Security benefits and pensions; and WHEREAS, Mothers are also much more likely than fathers to shoulder child care responsibilities, even if both parents work; in dual-income households with children, mothers spend almost twice as much time on child care as fathers; and WHEREAS, In addition, when workplace policies do not reflect families' realities, with inflexible and unpredictable schedules and without paid family leave or even paid sick days, it is difficult for parents to balance family and work responsibilities; nearly one in five low-wage working moms have lost a job due to sickness or caring for a sick child; and WHEREAS, Fair pay equity policies can be implemented simply and without undue costs or hardship in both the public and private sectors; and WHEREAS, Fair pay strengthens the security of families today and eases future retirement costs, while enhancing the American economy; and WHEREAS, In female-dominated fields, wages have traditionally been depressed and continue to reflect the artificially suppressed pay scales that were historically applied to so-called "women's work"; and WHEREAS, Tuesday, June 6, 2017, symbolizes the time in the New Year in which the wages paid to American mothers catch up to the wages paid to men from the previous year; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 6, 2017, as Mother's Equal Pay Day in the State of New York, recognizing the full value of women's skills and significant contributions to the labor force, and to further encourage businesses to conduct an internal pay evaluation to ensure women are being paid fairly; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.