Building A More Equitable Future for New York Workers

Governor Kathy Hochul today recognized Equal Pay Day, marking the ongoing struggle against the gender wage gap and pledging to continue the fight for equal pay for all workers in New York State. Equal Pay Day symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year, highlighting that women are often paid less than their male colleagues. This disparity remains one of the foremost challenges facing the labor market across the State and nation. The New York State Department of Labor recently analyzed newly available data from 2023 and found that women working full-time, year-round in New York State were paid 87.3 cents for every dollar that men were paid. While there is still much more progress to be made to bridge the gap, New York’s gender wage gap is narrow compared to the national average of 81.1 cents per dollar. In fact, New York had the third smallest wage gap among states in the nation, behind Vermont and Rhode Island.

“Women are too often the first to care for a child or an aging parent, sacrificing their own financial security in the process and in New York we refuse to accept this as the status quo,” Governor Hochul said. “We are doing the hard work. We've enshrined abortion rights in our constitution, guaranteed women 20 hours of paid prenatal leave, expanded access to childcare, developed workforce development programs to expand opportunities for women and bolster our Minority and Women Owned Business Programs — because when women have the freedom and support to succeed, our entire economy grows. Equal pay isn't just about fairness; it's about building a stronger, more equitable future for all and as New York's first woman Governor, this is a fight I look forward to winning.”

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) analysis also found that women of color continue to face even higher disparities, with Hispanic women and Black women earning 60.6 cents and 67.7 cents respectively for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men. To put these numbers another way, a woman earning the median income in New York State ($62,111) earned $9,057 less than her male counterpart in 2023. If this wage gap were to remain unchanged, she would earn $362,280 less than a man earning the median wage over the course of a 40-year career.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Equal Pay Day reminds us that more must be done to close the Gender Wage Gap. Although we have made significant progress, economic inequalities persist. The work of women continues to be undervalued and underpaid. That must change. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we will continue to advance efforts to eliminate all barriers preventing New Yorkers from reaching their full earning potential, regardless of gender.”

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has remained focused on taking nation-leading steps to close the Gender Wage Gap. Child care obligations remain a persistent contributing factor to the Gender Wage Gap. In her 2025 State of the State Address and Fiscal Year 2026 State Executive Budget Proposal, the Governor prioritized a number of family-focused initiatives designed to create a more equitable labor market. The establishment of the New York Coalition for Child Care, the creation of a child care substitute pool, and a $100 million child care construction fund to build new and renovate existing childcare facilities are all part of the Governor’s multi-year effort to move New York State closer to achieving universal child care, an essential step to ensure the full and equal participation of women in the workforce. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has invested more than $7 billion to expand child care accessibility. Governor Hochul is also proposing a historic expansion of New York’s Child Tax Credit, impacting more than 1.5 million families and representing the single largest boost to the state’s child tax credit in history.

These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s prior actions to create a more equitable labor market. New York is now the first state in the nation to mandate 20 hours of Paid Prenatal Leave, ensuring that no pregnant worker needs to choose between a paycheck and a checkup. In 2024, New York expanded workplace rights by mandating paid time off for breast milk expression. Critically, both benefits are available for full and part-time workers, as studies show women are more likely than men to work part-time.

State Senator Jessica Ramos said, “I am proud of the work we have done in partnership with Governor Hochul to close the race and gender-based wage gap. New York has been a leader in improving salary transparency, equipping employers with the ability to attract top talent and qualified candidates, with the ability to negotiate for the wages and benefits they deserve. This is how we fight the feminization of poverty.”

Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “As Chair of the Labor Committee, I fight hard every day for an equitable, inclusive economy, and we cannot have a fair economy without equitable pay for everyone. It’s time we put an end to the wage gap where women are paid less than their male counterparts for the same job. And for Black Women, Native American Women and Latina women – the pay gap is even more extreme. I will continue working with the Governor, NYSDOL, my legislative partners and the hardworking women of New York, to promote equity of opportunity to permanently end the wage disparity.”

The minimum wage in New York also continues to rise as part of Governor Hochul’s historic, multi-year agreement with the State Legislature. NYSDOL’s Gender Wage Gap Report found that the majority of minimum wage workers are women of color. By raising the minimum wage, New York continues to put money in the pockets of women across the state. At the same time, New York’s Pay Transparency law requires employers to include pay ranges on all job postings, empowering women to make better informed career decisions and ensure they are being paid fairly.

NYSDOL also continues to empower women via its Career Centers throughout the state. These centers offer career counseling, skills development, resume assistance, interview tips, and referrals to high-earning jobs at no cost to all New Yorkers. The Department also offers a salary negotiation guide to help New Yorkers maximize their earning potential.

As part of its effort to highlight and address the gender wage gap, NYSDOL continues to monitor and provide yearly updates on the state of pay equity in New York. This commitment ensures transparency and informs data-driven strategies to support a labor market that values and compensates all workers fairly.

For more information about the New York State Department of Labor’s initiatives to combat the gender wage gap and to support workforce equality, visit the Gender Wage Gap Hub.