Anew study says Kansas lags many other states when it comes to the pay disparity between men and women.
The report from the American Association of University Women ranks Kansas 42nd in the nation. It says women make on average 77 percent as much as their male counterparts in Kansas, but it stresses the state can improve.
Kim Churches, with the group, says protecting employees who disclose salaries can help bring disparities to light. She says the state could also block the use of past salaries in hiring.
“Still far too often employers use salary history, meaning your past job becomes the prologue for your future jobs and thereby just compounds the pay gap over time,” Churches says.
Churches says with more households headed by women, reducing the pay gap helps create economic security for families.
Employers also benefit because she says fairer pay can boost productivity and keep employees from leaving for other jobs.
Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to the original post. To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
