For the fourth year in a row, WalletHub has named Utah as the worst state in the nation for women’s equality in their report “2021’s Best & Worst States for Women’s Equality,” released August 23, 2021. To ascertain where women receive the most equal treatment, WalletHub’s analysis compared the 50 states across 17 key indicators of women’s equality. The indicators ranged from the gap between the number of female and male executives, to the disparity in unemployment rates for women and men, to gender differences in education and health.

. . . .more than 60% of Utah’s population are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and this religion has a profound influence on the actions, attitudes, and beliefs of its members. The Latter-day Saint Church emphasizes family formation, and, while recognizing equality between partners in marriage, it also emphasizes that genders have different roles—men and fathers to provide and protect, and women and mothers to nurture and teach their children. This division of effort and focus continues to influence the labor force decisions of many Utah residents and most likely impacts how Utah scores on several of the metrics measured in the WalletHub survey (e.g., gender wage gap, corporate leadership representation, and hours worked outside the home). It is also important to recognize that WalletHub’s ranking and weighting system may not include other potential equality metrics that could shed a more positive light on Utah women’s contributions in various domains, including the home and community.

. . . .The WalletHub report shows Utah women earning 25.5% less than men, while other gender pay gap reports have shown Utah having an even larger pay gap (~30%). The best state for income disparity is Maryland, where women, on average, earn 10.9% less than men. The worst-ranked state is Wyoming, where women earn 27.5% less than men. An annualized analysis of March 2021 payroll reports by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) has Wyoming and Utah with 35% and 30% disparities in compensation, respectively. The NWLC also has Utah ranked lower than WalletHub’s ranking, at 49th, but increases Utah’s women’s equality points to 2.43. In addition to assessing the wage gap, another important income metric for Utah women is their overall pay when compared to women nationally. The NWLC data also indicate that Utah women working full time on average earn $39,784 per year, which ranks 34th among the states for women’s income. Men in Utah earn an average of $57,117 per year, which puts Utah men in 16th position nationally.

Recommendations: Raise the minimum wage in Utah by $2.00. First, based on 2019 data, 8.1% of men and 14.9% of women earn at or near minimum wage. Because of the higher percentage of women, each $1.00 per hour added to the minimum wage would shrink Utah’s wage gap percentage by approximately 0.25%. Therefore, each $1.00 increase in the minimum wage would increase Utah’s point score by 0.17. Utah’s current minimum wage is $7.25, so raising it to $9.25 would increase the WalletHub score by 0.34.

Second, establish a stand-alone equal pay act. Based on a recent in-depth analysis of all 50 states’ public policies on the state equal pay laws (“Addressing the Gender Pay Gap in Utah with State Equal Pay Laws”), UWLP analysts recommend a stand-alone equal pay act comparable to what already exists in most states that would provide the following provisions: (a) a private right of action for aggrieved employees, (b) at least a one-year statute of limitations, (c) antiretaliation protections, (d) pay transparency protection, and (e) a salary history ban. Each provision could be enacted independently. The report also recommends conducting a comprehensive, Utah-specific study on the causes and effects of Utah’s gender pay gap.

More general recommendations recently published in the research snapshot “Utah Gender Wage Gap: A 2021 Update” include encouraging women in Utah to complete postsecondary certificates and degrees at all levels, including graduate education. In addition, teen and young adult Utah women need resources and support to help them navigate family and work options and to plan education and career goals. Cultural norms or attitudes that prevent or deter young women from this decision-making process—that suggest moral implications for women who work outside the home or that put work and family priorities at odds without considering that success can be attainable in both areas— need to be evaluated, discussed openly, and adjusted. Women of all ages would benefit from a greater awareness of the career options available to them, including occupations and industries that are currently dominated by men and are higher paying. Additionally, women need access to organizations that instruct and support those who wish to re-launch into careers after time spent away from the workforce.

Utah’s well-respected business community could provide additional support for female-owned businesses, including equitable access to funding, which can help narrow the gender wage gap. Forward-thinking companies would also do well to find ways to support female talent and develop female leadership within their organizations; they can also remove structural and cultural barriers to retaining that female talent. Finally, women can benefit from a variety of professional development opportunities, including negotiation training. These broader recommendations could impact the pay gap as well as other indicators also highlighted in this report.