Equal Pay Day was observed in Germany on April 15, 2008; see www.equalpayday.de.
On Equal Pay Day 2008 the Michigan House of Delegates passed two pay equity bills that had been on second reading for a year.
ABC World News reported on the wage gap on Equal Pay Day 2007:
>> Read ABC News report, "Take Control: How to Negotiate Your Salary"
>> Watch video of ABC News report, "Why are women earning less?"
In Charlotte, NC, the Men About Business organizations at Johnson & Wales University hosted an informational and entertainment event outside the university academic building, with participation by local businesses, including Bank of America and BB&T, and carnival activities. The Johnson & Wales Baking & Pastry organization held a bake sale, and participating women received coupons for free hotdogs from a supporting vendor. Local news stations did broadcasts from this event and from the featured evening speech by Omarosa Stallworth, of "The Apprentice."
The Jackson, Tennessee BPW commemorated Equal Pay Day 2007 with a discussion of the wage gap entitled "The Wage Gap, Not Just a Women's Issue," charging admission of $1 for men and 77 cents for women.
In Massachusetts, the city of Worcester held a community-wide event, A Taste of Prosperity, involving more than 20 businesses, some of which gave women a 23% discount, while others donated items for a raffle. The Worcester Public Library provided an information table and gave away cookies with a "bite" taken out of them. The Massachusetts Coalition for Women's Wage Equality, a group convened and led by the state Commission on the Status of Women, sponsored advocacy training and a panel discussion in Boston.
The Women and Girls Foundation of Pittsburgh held a rally downtown in Market Square, pointing out that women in southwest Pennsylvania earn only 69 cents for every dollar men earn. Speakers included Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, the Executive Women's Council, and representatives from the League of Women Voters, YWCA, Women and Girls Foundation, CORO, and New Voices Pittsburgh.
In Denver, 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, led 2007 Equal Pay Day activities including a rally/press conference on the Capitol steps, featuring sponsors of the Equal Pay Day Joint House Resolution, to be introduced, debated, and voted on in the State House and Senate. At the event, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment announced the formation of a Pay Equity Commission to collect and analyze private and public sector data and recommend policy solutions.
In California, the Coalition for Equal Pay provided sample lesson plans on the issue to high schools and delivered 3/4 cookies to the district offices of Northern California members of Congress and to high schools, in addition to holding a press conference on the Capitol lawn. The Alameda chapter of BPW/USA had a panel of speakers on equal pay issues.
In Presque Isle, Maine, Women Business Owners had a 77 Cent Sale, charging women 23% off items while men paid full price.
In Portland, artist and designer Jessica Esch designed a button for the 2007 Equal Pay Day event.
In Milwaukee, where BPW/USA had an "unhappy hour" at which women were charged 69 cents on the dollar to reflect the state wage gap, both the city and county issued Equal Pay Day proclemations.
In Vermont, the Women's Law Group (WLG) at Vermont Law School in South Royalton, which hosts an information table on campus about the wage gap, held a bake sale to further demonstrate the gap by charging women and minorities less than men for various pastries. Members also wore red in solidarity with women across the country. WLG, which promotes equal participation of women in the legal profession and equal application of the law to all women, raises money for charitable organizations and sent a donation to NCPE in 2007.
In Miami, women dressed in red, and some men, marched for an hour at noon on Equal Pay Day 2006 to make the point that women are "in the red" in terms of their wages.
In Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Association of Graduate Women launched a small campaign to observe Equal Pay Day in their country for the first time in 2006. "Dear friends, we must help each other all around the world to close the wage gap," wrote Nuria Marin, association president.
On Long Island, the Women on the Job Task Force passed out 1,250 Pay Day candy bars donated by Hershey to educate college students about the issue of pay equity and encourage them to contact legislators about the NY State Fair Pay Bill. County executives of Nassua and Suffolk counties issued Equal Pay Day proclamations.
Advocates planned events at state capitols in Massachusetts, Colorado, Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, New Mexico, Nebraska, Vermont, Maine, and other states.
In Madison, Wisconsin, the Business and Professional Women USA/Wisconsin headed to the Capitol for the introduction of equal pay legislation.
In Jacksonville, Florida, the Mayor's Commission on the Status of Women and the Women's Center of Jacksonville sponsored a luncheon at the Museum of Science and History titled, "But I'm Worth It... How to Talk about Salary and Market Value."
In Chicago, Women Employed released a progress report on the organization's Raising Women's Pay campaign.
Activists for pay equity in Minnesota sponsored a morning "UnHappy Hour" event. Members who attended were given 3/4 cups of coffee or latte, received 3/4 of a muffin and had 3/4 napkins to symbolize the almost 3/4 of a dollar that women are paid.
North Carolina Pay Equity Day 2006 supporters cosponsored a press conference in Raleigh that highlighted pay equity issues. At the press conference organized by local BPW/USA members, the North Carolina Justice and Community Development Center released a new report on pay equity in North Carolina state government -- a study that shows that there is a considerable wage gap between female and male state employees.
Kansans and Missourians, not to be outdone on issues of pay equity, held a press conference to commemorate Equal Pay Day 2006. Congresswoman Karen McCarthy (MO-5) and a representative from Congressman Dennis Moore's (KS-3) office spoke about their support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Copies of the Equal Pay Day Proclamation were distributed and signed by both Congresswoman McCarthy and Congressman Moore's staff member. All three Kansas City TV stations and the Kansas City Star attended the event.
Borders bookstore hosted an "UnHappy Hour" in Utah. Members also participated in a radio talk show, "Monday Night Forum," on KVEL 920 AM for thirty minutes the night before Equal Pay Day. Radio station KVEL also played BPW/USA's pay equity public service announcement all day on Equal Pay Day.
A Pay Equity Gala, organized by BPW/Washington State, included a buffet dinner, silent auction, dessert rush, the debut of a local winery, and a local celebrity emcee. Their keynote speaker was Boeing's first female test pilot. They honored 10 Women of Achievement from the community and raised $4500 for scholarships. They secured major corporate sponsors to help offset the costs.
BPW/Delaware members held a networking event for business and local organizations. At the event, an Equal Pay Day Bulletin Board was set up and Equal Pay Day packets with BPW/USA information and NCPE fact sheets were available. A local business partner provided a $1 off coupon for the cash bar "For Women Only."
In Washington, DC, CLUW activists and NCPE organizational members joined force with BPW members to leaflet subway riders with information on the Pay Equity fight and to present women riders with Pay Day candy bars. At a press conference held on the grounds of the US Capitol, labor leaders, senators, congress persons, athletes and workers noted how important it is to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.
In Illinois the Equal Pay Act of 2003 was passed out of the Labor Committee in the Illinois House of Representatives. (The Act, which provides that no employer may pay wages solely on the basis of the employee's gender and expands the federal Equal Pay Act to cover employers with four or more employees, rather than 15, was signed by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich in May.)
In Iowa a number of organizations -- including BPW, AFSCME, AAUW, Chrysalis Foundation, Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Iowa Women's Foundation, League of Women Voters of Iowa, and the Women's Resource and Action Center -- put together a large statewide event for Equal Pay Day. In public places such as libraries and schools in seven cities and towns across the state, a statewide fiber optics network broadcast a program on equal pay with speakers from the University of Iowa Labor Center and the state Commission on the Status of Women.
The Women's Center of Jacksonville, Florida presented their second annual "Spirit of Rosie" (the Riveter) Awards at an Equal Pay Day 2006 luncheon, which cost $20 for men and $15.50 for women.