Half a century after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act, women in both high-paying, high-growth STEM careers and those in part-time, low-wage jobs still only make, on average, 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. In that time span, the current wage gap improved at a rate of less than half a cent per year; if it continues at that pace, the wage gap will not close completely until 2053. Month to month, women - primary or co-breadwinners in six out of every 10 American families - face greater financial burdens in meeting living costs such as food, housing, transportation, health care and child care. The wage gap also limits their options to afford education. And across the span of a lifetime, women face less financial stability heading into retirement, with fewer pensions and lower Social Security payments to sustain them. In front of a live studio audience, CLOSING THE GAP: 50 YEARS SEEKING EQUAL PAY scrutinizes hotly debated statistics and moves beyond highly politicized and over-simplified talking points to explore the factors contributing to the wage gap and strategize on ways to attain equal pay. CNBC's Sharon Epperson serves as the program host, with guests including the namesake of the 2009 Fair Pay Act, Lilly Ledbetter; National Organization for Women (NOW) President Terry O'Neill, American Association of University Women (AAUW) Executive Director and CEO Linda Hallman, Ms. Foundation for Women CEO Teresa Younger and YWCA-USA CEO Dr. Dara Richardson-Heron. CLOSING THE GAP offers advice for overcoming wage secrecy policies in the workplace and researching fair salaries for jobs; considers pathways to improved public policies; arms women with the information and skills they need to earn fair pay at all points on the career continuum; and provides tips on achieving a financially secure retirement.
