BPW hosting Equal Pay Day event April 17

RED OAK — The local Business and Professional Women organization is inviting all local business to support Equal Pay Day at the first BPW Business After Hours Event.

The event is scheduled to take place from 4 – 6 p.m., at Fountain Perk on the southeast side of the square on Tuesday, April 17.

All employers who attend will receive a certificate presented to them by BPW of Red Oak to display at their place of business to signify their support of equal pay for women.  

Hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served at this event.   

April 17 symbolizes the day when women’s wages catch up to men’s wages from the previous year.

Consequently, every year in April, Business and Professional Women’s Found-ation along with hundreds of other women’s, civil rights, labor and community organizations come together for a national day of action promoting fair pay known as Equal Pay Day.

“This year, we thought it would be appropriate to show some of the reasons why Red Oak really is a shade better, and having business leaders in our community show up on April 17, in support of equal pay for women will speak volumes for our community,” said Barb Ray, BPW member and event organizer, and a local business owner.  

According to latest US Census Bureau on average, full-time working women earned 77 cents to every $1 earned by men.

The gap is even worse for minorities.

Over a lifetime of work this loss adds up as women lose out on $9,575 per year and $434,000 in a lifetime due to the wage gap.

“The bottom line for women and businesses is that pay discrimination happens and steps need to be taken to remedy it. This persistent wage gap not only impacts the economic security of women and their families today, it also directly affects women’s retirement security down the road.” said Betty Gail Danielson, President of BPW of Red Oak.   

BPW of Red Oak is asking business owners and managers to contact Ray at State Farm Insurance at 623-5639 to RSVP for this event by Thursday, April 11, so BPW of Red Oak can personalize the certificates that will be handed out to businesses.

Business and Professional Women’s Foundation is creating successful workplaces by focusing on issues that impact women, families and employers. Successful workplaces are those that embrace and practice diversity, equity and work life balance.

BPW Foundation supports workforce development programs and workplace policies that recognize the diverse needs of working women, communities and businesses. BPW Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) research and education organization.