Dive Brief:
- The gender wage gap persists in healthcare despite women making up the majority share of workers in that industry, according to data analysis by Premier Law Group, which represents plaintiffs in healthcare lawsuits.
- For example, women registered nurses earn $0.91 for every $1.00 earned by male registered nurses.
- “The ongoing pay gap and underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within the healthcare sector are not just disparities,” the firm’s analysts said in a statement. “They represent structural inequalities that hinder the industry’s growth and stability.”
Dive Insight:
Another throughline of Premier Law Group’s data analysis is the importance of DEI. The firm highlights The Conference Board’s 2024 survey, in which 49% of women respondents said they won’t work for companies that don’t prioritize DEI. This indicates that “nearly half of women treat DEI as a baseline requirement,” the firm’s researchers said.
Likewise, 56% of Black respondents told The Conference Board they wouldn’t work at a company where DEI isn’t taken seriously. From the law firm’s perspective, this “signals DEI is especially important for Black workers.”
Overall, the Premier Law analysts said, this data “suggests DEI is not optional; it’s a recruiting threshold.”
Recent culture wars around DEI have led to policy shifts from the federal government, including increased scrutiny on the private sector. “Reverse discrimination” claims have also risen in prominence.
However, analysts said in a statement, “From a legal standpoint, ignoring pay equity and DEI issues can expose companies to lawsuits, further loss of talent, and public scrutiny.” At the same time, they said, “Companies must act swiftly to ensure compliance with both state and federal mandates on equality and diversity.”