The Economic Status of Women in New Hampshire: How are we doing and what are the implications for pu

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The Economic Status of Women in New
HampshireHow are we doing and what are the
implications for public policy?

• Presentation at the Commission on the Status of
  Womens
• Legislative Policy Briefing, January 31, 2007
• by Katie Merrow, NH Womens Policy Institute
• Two Delta Drive, Concord, NH [phone]
• www.nhwpi.org or kmerrow_at_nhwpi.org
• Generating research Informing policy
  Improving womens lives

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• This presentation is based primarily on the
  following research
• Institute for Womens Policy Researchs Best and
  Worst State Economies for Women 2006
• Recent analysis of 2005 American Community Survey
  data by NH Womens Policy Institute.
• NH Womens Policy Institutes Economic Status of
  Working Women in NH by Ross Gittell, Allison
  Churilla, Ann McAdam Griffin, and ongoing
  research on the issue by Gittell and Churilla.
• It also draws from
• UNH Office of Economic Initiatives and North
  Country Councils New Hampshires Basic Needs and
  Livable Wage, 2006, by Daphne Kenyon
• UNH Carsey Institutes Low Income Families in NH
  by Allison Churilla, 2006
• NH Center for Public Policy Studies Fiscal Feast
  and Famine by Steve Norton, 2006

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Womens earnings in NH are among the highest in
the nation
Source Institute for Women's Policy Research
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NH generally ranks high on policies that support
womens economic well-being
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NH also ranks high on employment and earnings
But we rank near the bottom on the wage gap
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NH women remain over-represented among low-wage
workers and under-represented at the top
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This disparity is greater than in other NE states
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Marital status and family roles have a negative
impact on womens earnings
Womens full-time income as a proportion of mens
in NH, 1999
67
86
Source 2000 Census data
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Occupational concentrations contribute to the
wage gap

• Women tend to work in care-giving occupations,
  which pay less than traditionally male
  occupations.
• If the state provides level-funding for
  care-giving services, it contributes to the wage
  gap by putting downward pressure on salaries,
  unless those industries can shift costs
  elsewhere.

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Feast and Famine 1997-2007 Change in General
Fund Appropriations (in 2007 per capita)
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Source NH Center for Public Policy Studies
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How do womens wages compare to the costs of
living?
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The wage gap meets povertylow wages and children

• Women earn less, but are more likely to be
  raising children alone
• 14 of families are headed by women, 5 are
  headed by men
• Earning power is negatively impacted by marriage,
  so women are less prepared to bear the costs of
  divorce if the marriage ends, often sending women
  into poverty.
• The facts
• 44 of female-headed families are low-income,
  compared to 21 of all families
• 44 of-single-mother families participated in at
  least one government assistance program
• Data source UNH Carsey Institute

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So how are we doing, what are the policy
implications?

• Doing well, with room for improvement
• Why does the wage gap matter to public policy
  makers?
• Potential need for public assistance
• State budget policies may contribute to wage
  inequity
• Policies that could reduce wage inequity
• Training and education programs
• Child care and supports to increase stability for
  working families
• Scholarships, non traditional and traditional
• Increased funding for care-giving services
• The trade offsEffective programs contribute to
  economic growth, but require up-front investment,
  impacting tax policy.

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Looking forward

• Upcoming WPI Research
• Economic benchmarks
• Retirement security
• Corporate governance
• UNH Research by Gittell and Churilla
• Working women in US, regional comparisons within
  NH and Northeast
• Legislative session bills that affect womens
  earnings and economic security