Overview
- Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 642 on Oct. 8 to bolster California’s equal‑pay enforcement and expand pay transparency.
- The signing aligned with the 10th anniversary of Latina Equal Pay Day, which symbolizes the extra months Latinas must work to match a white man’s prior‑year earnings.
- Recent reports show Latinas earn about 54 cents per dollar compared with non‑Hispanic white men nationwide, with California Latinas averaging about 49 cents.
- UCLA/LPPI findings indicate rising college attainment has not closed the gap, as Latinas with a bachelor’s degree earn around $28 per hour versus $33 for white women and $43 for white men.
- Advocates cite structural drivers such as concentration in low‑wage sectors and immigration‑related risks, estimating lifetime losses over $1 million and noting some groups, including Guatemalan and Honduran women, near 29 cents on the dollar.