In the federal government, the wage gap is much smaller than in the private sector. A GAO report has estimated that the gap in wage is about 11 percent. I expect in the coming months that there will be a lot more attention on the wage gap among federal workers. Why? Because the President has a new memorandum ordering the Office of Personnel Management to submit "a Government-wide strategy to address any gender pay gap in the Federal workforce."
Although the overall wage gap stands at 23 cents when salaries of fulltime male and female workers are compared, it varies by key factors such as industry and occupation. In fact, the wage gap is relatively tiny in some occupations and in others it is startling large. But no matter the industry and no matter the occupation, the gender wage gap persists.
Here's an interesting fact — in the federal government, the wage gap is much smaller than in the private sector. A GAO report [PDF] has estimated that the gap in wage is about 11 percent. I expect in the coming months that there will be a lot more attention on the wage gap among federal workers. Why? Because the President has a new memorandum ordering the Office of Personnel Management to submit "a Government-wide strategy to address any gender pay gap in the Federal workforce." The order states that the government-wide strategy should include analysis of the ways in which alterations to the federal government's pay scales could reduce the wage gap and directs agencies to consider ways to promote greater transparency.
A serious strategy to close the wage gap for federal workers is critical. First, an 11 percent gap translates into lost wages for women. I'm pretty sure most women can't afford to give that much of their pay check away. But a second and equally important point is the precedent this sets. As the nation's largest employer, the federal government has the ability to set the standard for other employers. As the memorandum put it, the federal government "has a special responsibility to act as a model employer." There is simply no place for gender-based wage disparities in any workplace, but especially in the federal government.
One last thing about the new equal pay memo — the work will be concluded quickly. The order requires that agencies submit information to the Director of OPM within 90 days and that the Director submit a plan to the President within 180 days. That's right — days. So we'll soon have an employer led strategy not only for the federal government but one that employers can follow around the country. About time.