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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNR040219EqualPayDayceremonyheldTuesdayF� OF THE COUNTY OF KAUA'I DEREK S. K. KAWAKAMI, MAYOR qa 4 MICHAEL A. DAHILIG, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF News Release For Immediate Release: April 2, 2019 OFFICE OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ELLEN CHING, ADMINISTRATOR Tel (808) 241-4917 Fax (808) 241-5127 Equal Pay Day ceremony held Tuesday LIHUE — In a ceremony held Tuesday at the Lihu`e Civic Center, Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami presented a proclamation to the Kauai Committee on the Status of Women in recognition of Equal Pay Day on Kauai. Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the current year a woman must work to earn as much as a man earned in the previous year, and is based on statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. While the wage gap has improved since the 1960s, women still earn, on average, only 80 percent of what men earn. In his proclamation, the Mayor highlighted the need to address the issue of equal pay for equal work, and encouraged elimination of the gender pay gap. He noted that college -educated women working full time earn more than a half million dollars less than their male peers do over the course of a lifetime. "Further, nearly four in 10 mothers are primary breadwinners in their households, and nearly two-thirds are significant earners," said Mayor Kawakami. "This puts into perspective how critical pay equity is to our families and their economic security." Approximately 25 people attended the ceremony on Tuesday, and were encouraged to wear the color red as it symbolizes how far women and minorities are "in the red" with their pay. Above: Approximately 25 people attended the Equal Pay Day ceremony on Tuesday, and were encouraged to wear the color red as it symbolizes how far women and minorities are "in the red" with their pay. Above: Kaulana Finn expressed remarks on behalf of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard at the Equal Pay Day ceremony Tuesday, held at the LThu`e Civic Center. a� Above: Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami proclaimed April 2, 2019, as Equal Pay Day on Tuesday in front of a crowd of approximately 25 people. Above from left to right: Kauai Committee on the Status of Women members Regina Carvalho, Erika Valente, and Edie Ignacio-Neumiller; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women Kauai Representative Lisa Ellen Smith; and Sandra Muragin from the Office of Boards and Commissions.