Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim August 6, 2026, as Mother's Equal Pay Day in the State of New York

Assembly Resolution No. 1480

BY: M. of A. Rules (Solages)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        August 6, 2026, 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, Wednesday, August 6, 2026, 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  Kathy  Hochul  to  proclaim  August  6,  2026, 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 Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.